And, well, nobody could really say they expected it at the start of the season.
Instead, Liverpool were virtually uncatchable by February.
Arne Slot has a strong relationship with sporting director Richard Hughes (Photo: Getty)
The way Klopp left Liverpool will probably be studied one day by MBA candidates.
At first, however, the timing of the announcement seemed odd – it being revealed in a club-filmed interview halfway through last season. Why then? Wouldn’t it affect the players’ motivation? Could it put players off signing for them?
Losing such a big presence is massive for any club, but Liverpool turned to another heavyweight, albeit one who operates behind the scenes, bringing back former sporting director Michael Edwards – one of the finest recruiters in the game and integral to much of Klopp’s success, this time with an overarching role as chief executive of football for owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG).
Hughes led the process to sign the next manager, and they landed on Arne Slot.
Slot-ing in perfectly
The team’s off-the-ball work, runs from deeper and later, defending fractionally further back, their NFL-style orchestrated attacks and clever pressing, as previously recorded by The i Paper, took rivals by surprise.
There has, however, been an unexpected byproduct of the nature of the wins. Earlier in the season, Anfield regulars revealed that it can be a bit of a grind to watch, affecting the atmosphere.
Slot’s style is more patient and probing, and not necessarily going to get pulses racing (six games have been won by a 1-0 scoreline). The big European nights are fine (having been at Anfield for the Champions League second leg against Paris Saint-Germain this correspondent can attest to that) but visits from lesser-profile sides, in equally important games to win, has taken more work.
First-team training starts an hour later per the manager’s request (Photo: Getty)
Sports scientists told him that while a hotel environment can be more controlled, a night in a hotel bed would, in fact, likely result in a worse night’s sleep than in one at home that players are more comfortable in.
It is becoming widely accepted that sleep is the most important factor in recovery – better than ice baths and massages – and that optimising that can produce those golden marginal gains.
Injur-frees
It is perhaps no surprise, then, that Liverpool have suffered fewer injuries this season than any of the teams in the top seven, except for Nottingham Forest. Their 14 injuries this season is almost half that of Arsenal, their closest rivals in the title race. And it has undoubtedly influenced their success.
Their only key absence for any sustained period was goalkeeper Alisson, who missed seven weeks towards the start of the campaign.
How could a club as well run as Liverpool entertain the prospect of losing three of their stars via free agency?
And each player has responded with Premier League-winning form.
So what if they are expected to lose Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid? Players will be queueing up to replace him.
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Not signing Bellingham
Liverpool had been seriously weighing up the idea, encouraged by suggestions that Bellingham was interested. But the club decided to go in a different direction, and he decided on a move to Real Madrid.
Instead, in came Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch. Together with Wataru Endo, the trio now form one of the strongest central midfields in the game. All under 27, all with three years to run on their contracts and all Premier League title winners, they are likely to only improve, at Liverpool, in the years ahead.
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