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Dejan Lovren has declared that Liverpool are Premier League title contenders but reckons that their great rivals Manchester United are not.

The Reds currently sit third in the table with just goal difference keeping them off the summit behind Manchester City and Arsenal.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have taken 23 points from their opening 10 games – nine points better off than they were at the same stage last season.

However, despite presiding over the most expensively-assembled football squad in history, Jose Mourinho is languishing in eighth place with United – eight points off the pace.

The sides played out a dour goalless stalemate at Anfield last month but Lovren reckons that individual high-profile clashes alone won’t settle the major issues this term.

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He told Sportske Novosti: “Everyone started to respect us more, Liverpool is a title contender.

“Everything is positive, but it is still early, and a lot of big clubs chase the title too.

“I am not sure Manchester United will recover in time and join the race, but you never know.

“The title will be decided in ‘smaller’ games, not derbies.”