Liverpool under Arne Slot so far: Are the Reds primed for success?

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Liverpool are undergoing season of transition after seeing plenty of change over the summer.

After years of consistent success under Jurgen Klopp, the Reds have entered a new era following the German’s decision to step down. Dutchman Arne Slot has been tasked with pushing LFC forward and will be hoping to build his own dynasty.

Fans are hopeful that the club will continue where they left off and add more silverware to the trophy cabinet. Liverpool have a strong chance of doing so as they compete on four fronts, and if you are keen to back the club to lift the title or win a cup, you can bet on the Reds throughout the season.

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Before placing wagers, be sure to track team news and follow the form guide so that you can make informed decisions from a place of expertise and authority.

With Liverpool among the favourites for a successful Premier League campaign, this article will assess the team’s chances of glory this season.

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The Premier League Campaign So Far

Liverpool enjoyed a bright start to the Premier League season and Slot, the team and the supporters will have gained confidence from an opening run of three straight wins and three clean sheets. Kicking the campaign off at newly-promoted Ipswich Town, the Reds claimed a 2-0 victory courtesy of second-half goals from Diogo Jota and Mo Salah.

They then earned another 2-0 win on the head coach’s competitive debut at Anfield as Luis Diaz and Salah netted against Brentford, and September got off to the perfect start as they went to Old Trafford to take on fierce rivals Manchester United and handed their fans the bragging rights with a comprehensive 3-0 triumph. The Colombian bagged a brace and, of course, Salah also got his name on the scoresheet to complete the win.

However, the first setback occurred at home as the Reds fell to a shock defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest who grabbed a memorable win through Callum Hudson-Odoi, so the pressure was on for Slot to find a quick solution and bounce back swiftly.

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That was achieved in the next league game as Liverpool impressed to beat Bournemouth while earning a fourth clean sheet in five Premier League matches. Diaz again scored a double and Darwin Nunez found the net for the first time of the season to complete a good day at the office.

Liverpool then ended September at the summit of the table after a hard-fought 2-1 win at Wolves, with goals from Ibrahima Konate and Salah ensuring all three points for the visitors.

Ibrahima Konate celebrates scoring Liverpool’s first goal during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool at Molineux on September 28, 2024. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Liverpool’s Premier League Fixtures

While Liverpool have undergone a major change with a new man in the dugout, a team featuring Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk and Salah at its core will always be tipped for a push at the title, and after a strong start, supporters must be confident that Slot’s side can keep pace with Manchester City and Arsenal through to May.

An intense schedule after the October international break sees LFC take on five of the current top seven in quick succession, with Chelsea, Aston Villa and City among the visitors to Anfield, while the Merseysiders face challenging trips to the Emirates Stadium and St James’ Park.

During the busy Christmas period, the Reds have a tough trip to the capital to take on Spurs before hosting Leicester City on Boxing Day. On December 29, Liverpool are back in London to face West Ham and then host Manchester United in theit first league game of 2025. Heading into the new year, Slot and his team will be determined to be at the summit heading into the second half of the campaign.

Liverpool also face a final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park this season as city rivals Everton will soon move to Bramley Moore Dock, and there is a record riding on the December meeting. Should the Reds emerge victorious, they will have won more derbies at the ‘Grand Old Lady’ than the Toffees, with the two teams currently tied on 41 triumphs each.

The business end of the season will certainly be interesting for Liverpool followers, with four difficult matches to navigate in May. At the start of the month, the Reds take on old foes Chelsea, who themselves will likely be pushing for a place in Europe. Then comes a titanic fixture at Anfield which could determine the entire title race as Arsenal head to Merseyside, and Liverpool may well go into the clash as favourites, having not lost at home to the Gunners in the league since 2012.

Virgil van Dijk celebrates his goal with Kostas Tsimikas during the UEFA Champions League match between AC Milan and Liverpool at Stadio San Siro on September 17, 2024. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Champions League and a New Format

Liverpool have a rich and storied history in the European Cup and have won the competition six times, which is more than any other English club. This season, the Reds will compete in a tournament which looks different to its traditional structure after UEFA elected to change the format.

Conventionally, 32 teams have been drawn into eight groups of four, with each entrant facing three clubs home and away. However, the group stage has been replaced by a league system consisting of 36 sides as clubs now play eight different opponents, with four games at home and four on the road.

When it comes to the knockout stages, the top eight teams from the league hpase will qualify for the round of 16. The clubs who finish between 9th and 24th go head-to-head in a two-legged play-off round, with the victors advancing. However, the sides in 25th to 36th positions will be automatically eliminated from Europe and won’t drop down to the Europa League, as was previously the case for third-placed group finishers.

The Reds kicked off their European campaign with a 3-1 win against Milan at the San Siro and will also travel to RB Leipzig in Germany, Spanish side Girona (who are on their maiden Champions League voyage) and Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven. At Anfield, Liverpool will welcome Italian side Bologna, Xabi Alonso’ Bayer Leverkusen, current European champions Real Madrid and Ligue 1 club Lille. The Reds will be backed by many pundits to progress and should have enough quality to finish in the top eight positions.

Having consistently gone far in the Champions League during Klopp’s reign, Liverpool will be a tough prospect for every team they come up against, while the passion and spirit of Anfield often gives the team the push required to win.

Going for Gold

The Reds may have had to say goodbye to a legendary manager in Klopp but, under the guidance of Slot, they will still be expected to challenge for the Premier League title and go far in the Champions League. The FA Cup and Carabao Cup also present Liverpool with a great chance of a day out at Wembley and the prospect of adding to their enviable trophy haul.

Many fans are hopeful that the club will win at least one of those competitions, while some may be dreaming of a double or treble, or even a historic quadruple.

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