I think we've had a pretty good opening to the season, albeit I acknowledge that we haven't got into third gear yet, apart from a short spell maybe here and there. I thought the Brighton game was largely poor, from both sides.
However, I'm not overly concerned because we did much the same last season, with the 4-0 win at Arsenal coming in the third game, following two below-par performances against Watford (a)(3-3) and Palace (h)(1-0). But even the Arsenal win was followed by the 5-0 loss to City, and a 1-1 v Burnley at Anfield, and even then we only one won of the next 4 games...
First 9 games last season:
WATFORD (A) - 3-3 DRAW
PALACE (H) - 1-0 WIN
ARSENAL (H) - 4-0 WIN
CITY (A) - 0-5 LOSS
BURNLEY (H) - 1-1 DRAW
LEICESTER (A) - 2-3 WIN
NEWCASTLE (A) - 1-1 DRAW
UNITED (H) - 0-0 DRAW
SPURS (A) - 1-4 LOSS
During those first 9 games we conceded 16 goals.
Salah got 5 goals, Mane got 3 goals, Firmino got 2.
It was hardly a blistering start, Salah's form aside, but even without a World Cup year we struggled to get going right up until the end of October, perhaps one decent performance.
I think this season we've been sharper from the start, overall, and the impetus for that has come from Van Dijk, Gomez, Robertson, Milner, Keita, Wijnaldum, all players who didn't go to the World Cup, which I don't think is a coincidence.
We may or may not get going against Leicester, a week of training and no games may just kick-start the movement and intensity, but away to Leicester isn't a game to take lightly, a win will be deserved not gifted, regardless of the score.
Leicester have scored 5 goals so far this season, and 2 of them have been after the 90th minute, so take nothing for granted.