Arne Slot has had an amazing start at Liverpool. AFP Photo

Paul Kennedy

An article appeared in newspapers in England last month claiming that Liverpool was the most generous city in the UK.

Crowdfunding website GoFundMe published the information, based on the amount of money pledged to charitable causes and personal fundraising appeals over the past year.

This came as no real surprise to me. People from Liverpool, my home city, have always been regarded as kind-hearted.

I was born, grew up, and lived the majority of my adult life in Liverpool, so I know first hand that inhabitants of the city are indeed incredibly generous.

But the time has come for some of them to get mean, stingy in fact, and not to give anything away, at all.

I’m talking on the football pitch, where Liverpool are very much in the driving seat to win the Premier League in what would be Arne Slot’s first season as manager.

If that happens, it will be an insane achievement by the Dutch coach.

But, despite being six points clear of second-placed Arsenal, who have played a game more than Liverpool, in my mind it’s far from a done deal.

We are only just at the half-way stage, and in Liverpool’s case, there are still 20 matches to play.

Lots of football left, and still plenty of ups and downs.

Don’t get me wrong, Liverpool are looking firm favourites, but they still need to play Manchester City and Chelsea away from home, and face Arsenal with just three games to go on May 10.

They are playing incredibly well right now, but games will start to come thick and fast, especially as we get to the business end of the Champions League.

Liverpool are still in the Carabao Cup, and have an energy-sapping double header against Tottenham in the semis, and I expect them to go a long way in the FA Cup as well.

So it’s time for them to get mean, not give anything away, and be ruthless in attack.

And that starts on Sunday against Manchester United.

United have been awful this season, and on paper, Liverpool should destroy them. But the rivalry between the two clubs is such that form can go out of the window.

United drew with Liverpool at Anfield last season, and a similar result on Sunday would put a dent in their title ambitions.

It’s time to get tough, get mean, and really go for the jugular. VNS