Carragher: Replicating Klopp´s final season enough for Slot

Jamie Carragher believes a repeat of Liverpool’s third-place finish in their final season under Jurgen Klopp will represent a success in Arne Slot’s first campaign at the helm.

Liverpool fell off at the tail end of 2023-24 to finish third behind Manchester City and Arsenal, before former Feyenoord boss Slot took the reigns from Klopp.

The Dutchman’s first league game at the helm ended in a 2-0 win over newly promoted Ipswich Town on Saturday, with the Reds producing an impressive second-half display.

Liverpool created the highest expected goals figure (2.65 xG) of any team on matchday one of the Premier League season, registering 15 shots and 43 touches in the Ipswich area after half-time as goals from Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah handed them victory.

Despite a positive start to Slot’s reign, Carragher believes Liverpool’s supporters will be forgiving if he fails to deliver silverware in his first season.

Speaking in his role of Sky Sports pundit, Carragher said: “I don’t think Liverpool supporters are expecting the world in the first season.

“They realise the situation he is coming into, I think Liverpool replicating what they did last season would be enough.

“I was really impressed with a couple of things from the weekend. I was impressed with how decisive he was at half-time, he identified a problem and dealt with it.

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“When I was watching Liverpool play out from the back, we’ve all played in those games on a dry pitch, the opposition are onto you.

“I liked what he said, that you don’t need to keep playing short passes in those situations, you can go a bit longer.

“He’s the total opposite of Klopp, the crowd were chanting his name at the end and he shied away from it.”