The equation, then, is simple. Should Arsenal fail to earn a positive result against Crystal Palace on Wednesday, Liverpool will be crowned Premier League champions.
Not that it will matter if Arsenal do pick up points against Palace. Arne Slot’s side will wrap up the title with a victory of their own on Sunday afternoon against Tottenham. Given Spurs’ poor season, it looks almost certain that the Kop will be celebrating drawing level with Manchester United on 20 top flight titles.
From Ferguson to Moyes
United’s last League triumph came in 2012-13, during Sir Alex Ferguson’s final campaign as manager. By the following season, his successor, David Moyes, had been sacked with four games still to go as United limped to a 7th place finish.
In retrospect, the general view of Moyes’ spell at Old Trafford has softened. Following in the footsteps of arguably the greatest club manager in English football history was always going to be difficult.
Given the travails at Arsenal following Arsene Wenger’s exit, perhaps some turbulence should have been expected at Old Trafford, yet Moyes was not given the time to turn things around. Moyes also received little backing in the summer transfer window, bringing in only Marouane Fellaini from former club Everton.
From Klopp to Slot
The parallels with Slot’s first season are apparent. Liverpool had said goodbye to a long-serving manager at the end of the previous campaign, with Jurgen Klopp’s emotional departure coming after nearly nine years with the club, and had only signed Juventus’ Federico Chiesa during the summer.
Fortunately for Liverpool, that is where the similarities end. Slot’s side have dominated the Premier League, lost the League Cup final to a determined Newcastle, and were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain on penalties.
Midfield Overhaul
Prior to his departure, Klopp had carried out something of rebuild of Liverpool’s midfield. After a disappointing 2022-23, nearly £150 million was spent recruiting four new midfielders as the centre of the pitch was overhauled.
In carrying out such extensive remodelling of the team, Klopp left Slot a squad in much better shape than Ferguson had for Moyes. An ageing side, particularly in defence, was exposed and Moyes could not find a way to inspire results.
Slot, while making subtle tactical changes of his own, has utilised the tools at his disposal well, perhaps with the exception of the FA Cup tie at Plymouth, where a heavily rotated side came unstuck.
The previously peripheral Ryan Gravenberch, in particular, has enjoyed Slot’s influence. What must be guarded against now, however, is a delayed reaction to Klopp leaving.
Transfer Targets
With the squad in rude health, Slot was better prepared to succeed than Moyes, but it was still Klopp’s squad, in much the same way that Moyes inherited Ferguson’s.
Now that both Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have signed new contracts at the club, the focus of the summer’s spending can be narrowed. It is here that Slot must win his spurs.
Finding the right players to complement the existing members of the squad will determine whether Liverpool can mount a defence to their imminent title, or whether they will suffer in a similar way to their Northwest neighbours.