Arne Slot has become the first Liverpool manager in history to win eight of his first 10 top-flight matches in charge of the club.
When Jurgen Klopp announced that he would leave Anfield after a trophy-laden spell on Merseyside, fans were concerned that the team would suffer without the charismatic German at the helm.
Indeed, in the five seasons up until his arrival at Liverpool in October 2015, the Reds finished sixth, eighth, seventh, second and sixth again.
During his time at the club, Klopp was able to win the Premier League and the Champions League, cementing himself amongst legendary figures at Anfield such as Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley.
While it is impossible to know whether Slot will be as successful with the Reds as the aforementioned trio, his 2-1 win against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon means that he has won eight of his first 10 top-flight games in charge, the most of any Liverpool manager in history.
8/10 - Liverpool have now won eight of their 10 Premier League games under Arne Slot (D1 L1), the most ever by a Reds manager in his first 10 top-flight matches in charge of the club. Seamless. pic.twitter.com/J0HWXJLmbB
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 2, 2024
Incredible stats
Klopp won four, drew three and lost three times in his first 10 Premier League games as Liverpool manager, scoring 13 goals while also conceding on 12 occasions, whereas Slot boasts a record of eight wins, one draw and one loss.
The Reds have also only conceded six league goals and scored 19 times under the Dutchman so far, and this makes them the division's best defensive and second-best offensive team.
Meanwhile, Shankly won three, drew three and lost four of his first 10 top-flight league matches in the 1962-63 season, conceding 14 times while scoring 15 goals.
Paisley began life as boss excellently in 1974-75, winning six of his first eight league games in charge of the Reds, but he had a record of six wins, one draw and three losses after 10 fixtures in the top flight.
Liverpool fans are trying not to get too carried away given Slot has only been in charge for such a short period, but it is difficult to ignore the historic nature of his start as Reds manager.
© Imago
Title favourites?
Though any win is satisfying, fans have been emboldened by the fact that title rivals Manchester City and Arsenal both lost on Saturday against Bournemouth and Newcastle United respectively.
Liverpool are first in the Premier League, two points ahead of second-placed Manchester City and seven points ahead of fourth-placed Arsenal.
Pep Guardiola's side are also riddled with injuries, and will be without Rodri for the remainder of the season, while Mikel Arteta's team seem to be stumbling under the pressure of being considered a title favourite.
Perhaps Liverpool should be considered favourites instead of their two rivals given their strong defensive performances, as well as the fact they have been able to keep most of their star players fit, though fans will hope that Ibrahima Konate is available when they welcome Bayer Leverkusen to Anfield on Tuesday in the Champions League.
Regardless of whether Slot can win the Premier League in his first season as Reds boss, his achievements should not go unnoticed, especially considering he has used largely an unchanged Liverpool team from the one he inherited from his predecessor.
Lewis Nolan
