Liverpool Under Slot: Ruthless, Resilient and Built to Last
85 Points Minimum: Why Liverpool Look Set to Dominate Again
The 2024-25 season will be remembered by Liverpool supporters as a moment of rebirth. It marked the end of one glorious era and the beginning of another, as Arne Slot stepped into one of the most high-pressure managerial roles in European football and brought the Premier League title home to Anfield. His achievement was not the result of a miracle, nor a fleeting surge of form, but a deliberate and methodical campaign defined by clarity, unity and belief.
In reflecting on what has just unfolded, one thing becomes clear. This Liverpool side, under Slot’s quiet authority, is only getting started.
Slot’s Calm Command and Tactical Clarity
Arne Slot arrived at Liverpool as an outsider. He had never worked in English football and had no connection to the club’s inner workings. He was stepping into a squad still emotionally tethered to Jurgen Klopp. That alone would have overwhelmed many. But Slot took it all in stride. He assessed the tools at his disposal, made clear his intent to win from his first public interview, and by matchday three, he already believed the title was within reach.
His approach throughout the season was meticulous. He analysed games with sharpness, responded to situations with precision and demonstrated adaptability without over-complication. From the opening day away at Ipswich, when he made bold half-time changes to reverse a sluggish performance, he made it known that indecision had no place in his thinking.
What defined Slot’s management was not bluster, but intent. He trusted his players, but demanded their best. He never sought to fill headlines, and he made no attempt to impersonate Klopp. He simply led with clarity, purpose and unwavering expectation.
Van Dijk and Salah: Driving Standards Relentlessly
Every great side needs their giants, and Liverpool’s spine remains anchored by two of the game’s finest. Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah were not merely contributors last season; they were the tone-setters.
Van Dijk, given the captaincy in a time of transition, carried himself with the poise of a man born for the role. His defensive reading, leadership and sheer physical presence gave Liverpool the platform to play on the front foot. At a time when other clubs would have panicked or regressed after a managerial shift, Van Dijk ensured that the dressing room standards never dipped.
Salah, meanwhile, may have slightly altered his style, but not his output. He remains a devastating attacker, now with added maturity in how he creates space, draws fouls, and influences matches. His ambition never faded. Alongside Van Dijk, he appeared to take on the season as a mission. No one said it aloud, but you could sense that both wanted a title celebrated with the fans. They had already won one, but it had been in silence. This one, they needed to feel.
Now they have it, and they will not be in a hurry to give it up.
Players Solving Problems, Slot Enabling Them
While managers create frameworks, it is players who solve matches. Slot understands this. What he has built is not a system that traps players, but one that frees them to make choices. It was most evident in the evolution of Alexis Mac Allister, who matured throughout the campaign into the kind of midfielder Liverpool have always revered. Tactically aware, tireless and clever in possession, he became the heartbeat of the side.
Mac Allister’s success was not a result of Slot micro-managing every step. Rather, it was the manager trusting the player to interpret the game, make adjustments and contribute across the phases of play. Gravenberch also showed signs of growth, supported by Van Dijk and encouraged from the sidelines, yet given freedom to learn and adapt.
Slot created space for intelligence to flourish. That was his greatest contribution beyond tactics.
And then there is the goalkeeper. Alisson Becker does not merely play the role. He redefines it. His anticipation, shot-stopping and command of the area make him unique. Kelleher performed admirably in his absence, but in doing so he highlighted just how high the bar is. When Liverpool defend, they do so with the understanding that Alisson and Van Dijk will see what others miss, speak what others hesitate to say and act when others freeze.
Mentality, Momentum and the Year Ahead
In February, Liverpool faced five games in fifteen days. It could have undone their season. Instead, they emerged stronger. They steadied themselves after each challenge, recalibrated and pressed forward. That resilience did not come from luck. It came from years of experience in the squad and a new manager who refused to flinch.
There was no dramatic turning point. Liverpool just kept showing up, with composure and belief. They knew what they had to do, and they did it. The title was not secured through a runaway spell of dominance, but through persistence and unity. That might be the most promising thing of all.
The challenge now will be different. Liverpool are no longer the chasers. They are the benchmark. Clubs across the country will treat their visit like an occasion. But then again, they already did. There is no club more frequently targeted, no shirt more symbolic. Slot will know this. So will Salah. So will Van Dijk.
And they will relish it.
I look at this Liverpool squad and see no signs of decline. I see a team that can collect 85 points or more without blinking. The core group is experienced, settled and full of purpose. If the right signings come in, that’s a bonus. If they do not, the team still has enough. They do not need another season of perfection. They need consistency, clarity and character. All of which are present.
Other clubs will talk, spend and speculate. But Liverpool are calm. They have found a rhythm. They have remembered who they are.
And now, as champions, they are ready to show everyone else.