Liverpool’s Dutch master Arne Slot rounds off almost perfect year

LONDON – Replacing Kop idol Jurgen Klopp at Anfield looked to many like mission impossible for Dutchman Arne Slot when he was named as the German’s successor in May.

Now the appointment looks like a masterstroke halfway through his maiden English Premier League campaign.

Liverpool’s 5-0 thrashing of West Ham United at the London Stadium on Dec 29 put Slot’s side eight points clear of second-placed Nottingham Forest and 14 ahead of champions Manchester City.

They have lost just once in all competitions this season and Slot can look back on a near-perfect 2024.

His Feyenoord side were unbeaten from the turn of the year too when he left, as they finished runners-up to PSV Eindhoven.

The only team to get the better of Liverpool this season are Forest and the way Slot’s side have ended 2024, a 20th title for the club now looks in their grasp.

“Compliments to Nottingham Forest. They were the one,” Slot said after his side’s rout of West Ham at the London Stadium.

While Slot inherited a high-quality squad and has not had to instigate a major rebuild, the tweaks he has made to Liverpool’s style have put them in total control of the league.

They are a little more pragmatic than they were under Klopp’s high-octane pressing game, but Slot has still retained Liverpool’s attacking verve, evidenced by the fact they have scored 45 goals in 18 games including 14 in the last three.

The 46-year-old has benefited hugely from Mohamed Salah having what promises to be his best-ever season at Liverpool, despite the ongoing saga of the Egyptian’s contract talks.

Reports in recent weeks have suggested an agreement is getting closer between the 32-year-old and the Reds, but Salah shot down those suggestions.

“We are far away from that,” he told Sky Sports. “I don’t want to put something in the media and people start saying stuff, but nothing really has moved on.

“Now I am focused on the team and hopefully we win the Premier League.”

Salah’s goal on Dec 29 took his tally for the season to 20 and his two assists mean he has been involved in 30 goals in 18 Premier League games for Liverpool this season.

He has been involved in 52 goals in all competitions in 2024 (29 goals, 23 assists), which is more than any other player in Europe’s big five leagues.

“Mo and the word extraordinary is something I’ve heard a lot in the last six months,” Slot told reporters.

“He truly deserves this and probably for the eight years, but I am involved in the last half-year. I don’t think he keeps surprising us because we know what a player he is and we know he is able to do so.

“We can only hope he can keep bringing these performances in, but I would like to add that if he scores, there’s also a lead-up to him scoring.

“So there are also other players that bring him into these positions, but if you bring Mo in these positions, he is extraordinary. Definitely.”

Salah, along with Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, is out of contract at the end of the season, meaning they could discuss a free transfer with non-English clubs from Jan 1.

“No, I don’t think it’s negative at all. He’s playing really well,” Slot told Sky Sports, when asked if Alexander-Arnold’s situation was more negative than Salah and van Dijk’s, after reports in recent days from Spain that the fullback is keen on joining Real Madrid.

“He scored a great goal and the way he celebrated his goal (with a chattering gesture) probably tells you enough. So I don’t think I have to say much more about it. I’m really happy with Trent, just as happy as I am with Mo and with Virgil.”

While Slot was delighted to see five different players on the score sheet on Dec 29 (Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Salah, Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota) a first clean sheet in five games was equally satisfying, after his side conceded nine goals in their previous four.

“Clean sheets are one of the reasons why you win a lot. If every time you have to score two, three or four goals, it is difficult,” he said.

“At the moment we do, but it is not sustainable for a longer period of time.

“Sometimes you need a win by keeping a clean sheet and scoring one or two.” REUTERS, AFP