Is it a good sign that Liverpool is getting the better of its opponents without being at its absolute best?

How do you evaluate the side's early season late winners? Is it champion mentality, or just the Reds getting the rub of the green?

Whether it be the four last-gasp wins in the Premier League before the theatrical 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid in their UEFA Champions League opener, Arne Slot's men sure do have a knack for bulging the net in the closing moments.

Liverpool's Federico Chiesa celebrates after scoring the go ahead goal against Bournemouth in the Premier League at Anfield in Liverpool, on August 15, 2025. | Photo Credit: AFP

Liverpool was just getting started with the 11th-hour drama when Federico Chiesa restored the side's lead in the 88th minute in the 4-2 win over AFC Bournemouth.

Ever since Chiesa said it was "better late than never" for him to score his first Premier League goal, it's been always late but never too late for Liverpool.

Rio Ngumoha netted in the 10th minute of stoppage time for a 3-2 win at Newcastle United, before Dominik Szoboszlai's 83rd-minute free-kick helped Liverpool beat title-contender Arsenal 1-0 in a cagey affair at home. Interestingly, the Gunners are yet to concede another goal this season apart from that stupendous 32-yard effort from Szoboszlai.

Then Mohamed Salah broke Burnley's hearts by converting from the penalty spot in the fifth minute of added time as Liverpool escaped with a 1-0 win at Turf Moor.

With these results, Liverpool became the first team in Premier League history to win four straight games with the winning goal scored in the final 10 minutes or later.

Coach Slot had an honest take on his team's domestic campaign so far.

"For us to be on 12 points now is so much more than I expected, especially after the changes we made this summer," he said during the pre-match press conference for Liverpool's continental clash against Atletico.

Last but not least, skipper Virgil Van Dijk's precise header in the 92nd minute condemned Diego Simeone's men to a 3-2 loss in a roller-coaster of a contest on Wednesday.

"We need to get back to winning a bit simpler and easier," Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson said after the Champions League game.

THE GIST The Liverpool team is coming off a busy summer transfer window and will need some time for all the hot new signings to settle down Whether it be the four last-gasp wins in the Premier League before the theatrical 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid in their UEFA Champions League opener, Slot's men sure do have a knack for bulging the net in the closing moments It's almost as if Liverpool has made legendary Dutch footballer Cruyff's famous quote its motto: "To win, you have to score one more goal than your opponent." While it is still premature to use 'Fergie Time' and 'Slot Time' in the same vein for the art of finding late winners, Liverpool will do well for itself if it can emulate what Ferguson & Co. pulled off in their prime

"The assistant manager turned to me when Virgil put it in and said he's getting too old for it, so I can't imagine what the fans are like. It's a great thing to have, being able to keep going until the end, [but] when you're 2-0 up and playing so well in the first half, it should've been a more comfortable night," Robertson added.

And there have been conflicting opinions on what to expect from Liverpool after such a volatile start to the season.

"I'm unsure about Liverpool. They should be mid-table. They've been gifted six points. You could take six points off Liverpool and no one would have argued," football columnist Paul Merson wrote in a Sky Sports article published on September 16.

Ruthless but not clinical would be a fair assessment of Liverpool's campaign; the side, however, would certainly be looking at this from a glass-half-full perspective.

Need some time

As Slot alluded to in his press conference, this Liverpool team is coming off a busy summer transfer window and will need some time for all the hot new signings to settle down.

The fact that the Reds have an unblemished record despite the churning makes things that much easier during the transition period. Points on the board sure do take a load off, even for the defending champion.

"They're settling in this new wave of players like [Florian] Wirtz and [Hugo] Ekitike into the club, and the team is not at its absolute purring best. However, they've got something, and they are winning, and that's really important," former Manchester United defender and football commentator Gary Neville said after Liverpool's victory over Burnley.

"Obviously, you can't keep on winning by playing below your best and performing like they did today, but they keep on getting over the line; they've demonstrated that in the first few weeks of the season, and they've carried it on after the international break," Neville opined.

Liverpool's run of thrilling triumphs had some football pundits compare the team to Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United, and how the famed outfit used to walk away with a win with a last-minute goal or two.

While it is still premature to use 'Fergie Time' and 'Slot Time' in the same vein for the art of finding late winners, Liverpool will do well for itself if it can emulate what Ferguson & Co. pulled off in their prime.

Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane, somebody who very well knows the feeling of coming in clutch when it matters the most, lauded Liverpool's tenacity.

"They keep going. They've got quality players, and they have the desire to win football matches. Liverpool stuck at it, and you have to keep going until the end. That's what the top teams do," Keane told Sky Sports after the Burnley game.

Former Crystal Palace striker Clinton Morrison said Liverpool's victories cannot be dismissed as pure luck. "Everyone keeps saying Liverpool leaves it late, but it can't be lucky the number of times they've done it already this season. They've got big players and big characters," Morrison told Sky Sports' Soccer Special after Liverpool's victory over Atletico.

These positive takes on Liverpool's prospects may also be coming from the fact that the Reds have been consistently finding the net since Slot took over last season. In fact, the last time Liverpool failed to score in the Premier League was on September 14, 2024, against Nottingham Forest, and the side has been on a 38-game scoring streak in the league since then.

It's almost as if Liverpool has made legendary Dutch footballer Johan Cruyff's famous quote its motto: "To win, you have to score one more goal than your opponent."

Egyptian magician Salah

Egyptian magician Salah's role in Liverpool's ascendancy to the Premier League crown last season could not be overstated. He rightly won the Player-of-the-Season award for matching Alan Shearer and Andrew Cole's record for the most direct goal involvements in a league season (47).

The prolific winger, however, has been blowing hot and cold in the 2025-26 campaign. His best performance yet came against Atletico, where he outmuscled and outmanoeuvred three defenders to give the host a two-goal lead in the sixth minute. Liverpool will hope this was a sign of Salah finding his feet ahead of yet another glorious season.

Matter of intrigue

Record signings Wirtz and Alexander Isak's output was another matter of intrigue, and both players are slowly coming into their own after dealing with their own set of challenges.

While the German attacking midfielder took some time to get used to the rigours of Premier League football, the Swedish forward's troubles were more off the pitch than on it.

Just like Salah, Wirtz found his mojo against Atletico. According to Squawka, no Liverpool player had more touches in the opposition box (seven), created more chances (five) or created more big chances (two) than Wirtz in that Champions League contest.

Liverpool will also be pleased with Isak finally getting some game time after a tumultuous transfer window that saw him miss the crucial pre-season training period. Wirtz and Isak also produced some lovely combination plays on Wednesday, with the best one coming in the 42nd minute through the No. 7's run from midfield to find Isak for a dangerous one-two in front of the Atletico goal.

For all the flair and potency in its attack, Liverpool is also susceptible to conceding goals. Missing out on signing Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi on deadline day has accentuated the side's lack of competition in the centre-back position.

But for now, it's where there's a will, there's a late Liverpool winner!

Always late but never too late: Liverpool's early season winners just plain luck or champion mentality?