The Flying Dutchman – the infamous supernatural ghost ship from the Pirates of the Caribbean -- daunting if one looks at its reputation, yet relentless in its endeavors in wreaking havoc across the seas.

Such has been the impact of Liverpool's Dutch manager Arne Slot across competitions. Under the 46-year-old former Feyenoord boss, The Reds have been soaring this season, leading both the Premier League and the Champions League standings, while also competing for two other cups – the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup. They already have a six-point lead at the top of the league, with a game in hand over second-placed Arsenal, and have a 100 per cent record in Europe in the six games they have played.

Slot has already made a record-breaking start at Liverpool, winning 20 of his first 26 games in all competitions and losing just twice in this period. This stunning streak of results and the ease with which he has achieved them undoubtedly establishes the fact that he has slotted right in following the departure of Jürgen Klopp and picked up from where the German had left things.

While many understood the magnitude of the shoes Slot had to fill, there were many who said it would be nothing short of a miracle if the Dutchman could get things up and running and replicate the kind of results as well as maintain the juggernaut-like footballing force Klopp had managed to turn his Liverpool into. And one could not blame them.

Manchester United and Arsenal both dipped following the departures of Alex Ferguson and Arsène Wenger, so it was not a far-fetched thought that the same would happen to Liverpool when Klopp stepped aside.

One of the keys to Liverpool's seamless transition from Klopp to Slot is that the two managers have similar playing styles. Both prefer a four-at-the-back formation and an attacking trio with inverted wide forwards. The midfield make-up is slightly different but is ultimately still about energy and robustness off the ball.

The familiarity with the previous system has undoubtedly aided Liverpool's surge, but their starman Mohamed Salah and his red-hot form from the outset has been the hallmark of The Reds' daunting attacking displays. With 18 goals and 13 assists in the Premier League, the 32-year-old has the most goal contributions – 31 – amongst players in Europe's top five leagues, and this promises to be his best-ever season at Liverpool.

Salah's contract expires this summer, and with Liverpool showing reluctance in renewing it, the Egyptian superstar appears to have accepted he will be playing elsewhere next season. He is determined to make this final season one to remember. "There is no progress there. We are far away from any progress. So, we just need to wait and see," Salah told Sky Sports last week. When asked about the prospect of winning the Premier League this season, he added: "It's my last year in the club so you want to do something special for the city."

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold will also be without contracts at the end of the season. The Dutch defender revealed that he was in talks for a renewal, while sources said Liverpool rejected an offer from Real Madrid for Alexander-Arnold.

Despite all of these outside issues, Slot's Liverpool seem to be steadfast in maintaining their increasing standards. When the talk is centered around standards, however, no one can deny what rivals Manchester City has achieved since Pep Guardiola took charge in 2017-18. Guardiola's side sits sixth on the table with 34 points and has already surrendered their hopes for the title this season.

"I'm looking at the next game to try and win three points... I wouldn't say it's impossible because in football there are no impossibles but right now Manchester City is completely out of the title race, no question about that, it's too late for us," winger Bernardo Silva told Sky Sports in an interview published on Thursday.

A lot of work is yet to be done for The Reds, and with other contenders like City, Arsenal, and Chelsea not at the peak of their consistency, Liverpool is now a strong favourite to win their second Premier League title this season.