Plus: footballers who put parenting first, title playoffs in Italy, and relegated Golden Boot winnersMail us with your questions and answers “Arne Slot is going to win the Premier League in his first season after taking over from Jürgen Klopp,” writes Hannah Mitchell. “What examples are there of managers who have had instant success after succeeding a legendary manager?” It’s not unusual for a new Liverpool manager to win the league in their first season. Matt McQueen (1922-23), Joe Fagan (1983-84) and Kenny Dalglish (1985-86) all did so, – but they were established figures at the club, whether in the boardroom, the boot room or the dressing-room. Arne Slot was new to English football, never mind Liverpool, and was succeeding one of the most charismatic figures in the club’s history. In that context, winning the Premier League with (potentially) four or five games remaining is a remarkable achievement. Continue reading...

Arne Slot believes keeping his team together would mark a "big summer" for Liverpool and said Trent Alexander-Arnold's future is still "not done".

Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock explains the importance of keeping Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk to the way they play under boss Arne Slot.

On the face of it the Egyptian’s new contract has no downside – but this is not entirely a free ride for Arne Slot and the club Well, that’s good then. Things fall apart. But sometime they also don’t. And the centre does actually hold. Perhaps the most interesting part of Mohamed Salah’s contract extension at Liverpool is the fact this is a rare crossover story, a signing that steps outside its own tribal margins. There will of course be localised delight. Liverpool fans can look forward to their own lost weekend in the sun, a sense that the good times will now continue to roll, that the time bar has shifted. Return to your seats. This is a lock-in. Continue reading...

Liverpool manager Arne Slot says he is "very happy" that forward Mohamed Salah has signed a new two-year contract with the club.

No pay cut for Egyptian forward on deal to 2027Salah cites trophies, family and Slot as reasons to stay Mohamed Salah should keep “trying to reach perfection” according to Arne Slot after ending uncertainty over his Liverpool future by signing a new two-year contract. Salah agreed to extend his illustrious Anfield career to a decade after months of negotiations between his agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, and Liverpool’s sporting director, Richard Hughes. Financial details of the deal, which was confirmed by the player and club on Friday, have not been disclosed but the 32-year-old has not taken a pay cut. His previous three-year contract was worth a basic £350,000 a week, although his overall earnings were about £1m a week. Continue reading...

Progress made in talks over deal for Egyptian forwardVan Dijk also likely to remain at Anfield past this season Liverpool are increasingly confident Mohamed Salah will sign a contract extension to stay beyond the summer after progress in talks over recent weeks. It is a significant boost to Liverpool, whose captain, Virgil van Dijk, is also likely to prolong his stay beyond June. The Dutchman said this week that progress had been made with regards to securing his future. The two players have been instrumental for Liverpool this season, with the club closing in on a record-equalling 20th top-division title. They have been ever-present in the Premier League under Arne Slot. Salah has scored 27 goals in 31 appearances and Van Dijk has helped Liverpool concede only 30 to put them top, 11 points clear of Arsenal with seven games to play. Continue reading...

Liverpool manager Arne Slot insists he is not worried about the form of Mohamed Salah, despite the forward going four games without a goal following a 3-2 loss to Fulham.

That Liverpool will be deserved Premier League title winners but far from infallible has been obvious for some time. No need to panic just yet after defeat by the Thames. Collecting silverware while requiring further growth and repair can be taken as a positive sign. An often-rampant Fulham, enjoying their football perhaps because any pressures are now lifted, with the brilliant Alex Iwobi turning on the style, reminded top-tier English football is full of quality, that laurels can never be rested on. For Arne Slot, the first half – and much of the second – at Craven Cottage was a case study of what needs to improve, and such is the ruthlessness of successful dynasties, who will need to be replaced. Continue reading...

Liverpool do not require favours to secure the Premier League title but their neighbours gave them one anyway. Everton denied Arsenal the victory they needed to maintain extremely thin hopes of challenging the league leaders courtesy of Iliman Ndiaye’s penalty. Leandro Trossard put Mikel Arteta’s visitors on course for a win their overall display just about deserved but a soft second-half spot-kick, awarded for a fall by Myles Lewis-Skelly into Jack Harrison, enabled Everton to secure a fifth draw in six Premier League matches. The upshot is that Arne Slot’s side need only 11 points from their final eight games to seal Liverpool’s 20th league championship. Arsenal can have no complaints over the destiny of this season’s title. Continue reading...

Slot: ‘Nothing else matters’ if Liverpool win league titleOwen suggested cup exits left ‘bitter taste’ on season Arne Slot has hit back at Michael Owen’s suggestion that the Premier League title would not be enough for Liverpool this season by insisting nothing matters more than becoming champions of England again. The former Liverpool striker was taken to task by Virgil van Dijk after the Merseyside derby on Wednesday for claiming the campaign was “building into something really special” until Slot’s team exited the Champions League and lost the Carabao Cup final. Owen agreed it would still be special for Liverpool to win the title for a record-equalling 20th time but with the caveat that the two cup defeats in six days would leave “a bitter taste”. Continue reading...

Slot welcomes move and says officiating has been ‘OK’Everton defender booked for challenge on Mac Allister The Premier League referees’ body, Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL), has acknowledged that Everton’s James Tarkowski should have been sent off early on in their defeat at Liverpool. Arne Slot welcomed the move on Thursday after Tarkowski was only cautioned for a reckless challenge on Alexis Mac Allister. The referee, Sam Barrott, gave Tarkowski a yellow card and David Moyes conceded the defender was fortunate to stay on the pitch. PGMOL believes the video assistant referee, Paul Tierney, should have recommended a review. Continue reading...

It has been an odd, slow bicycle race of a season, but this is hardly the fault of Arne Slot’s impressive league leaders There was an extraordinary moment in the seconds after Diogo Jota had scored the only goal of this Merseyside derby, as the home supporters seethed and writhed, bodies tumbling, a wave of noise barrelling around the Anfield stands. At which point a lone middle-aged man could be seen emerging from the seats, waving his fists in the direction of what must have been the fourth official, making wild but oddly precise spectacles gestures with his fingers, all the while being hurled back by the combined efforts of three men in orange jackets. Continue reading...

Liverpool manager Arne Slot disputes the decision to only award a yellow card to Everton's James Tarkovski for his tackle on Alexis Mac Allister in his side's 1-0 Premier League win in the Merseyside derby at Anfield.