Liverpool manager Arne Slot waves to the fans after the UEFA Champions League, league stage match at Anfield, Liverpool, November 27, 2024
ARNE SLOT’S Liverpool may have passed their first great test, then the next one, and then the next one, but the Dutch manager is always the first to say that being here now, top of the Premier League and the Champions League in December, isn’t what counts. It’s where you are at the end of the season that does.
This weekend, Liverpool face their latest “first big test” of the Slot era when they face perennial title winners and regular competitive rivals Manchester City at Anfield.
While Slot is right to be pragmatic, his start at Liverpool has been better than anyone could have hoped, and it sometimes feels like it is being taken for granted somewhat.
With climate change, commercial overload and endless fixtures, footballers are being pushed to breaking point. It’s time their unions became a more powerful, unified force, writes JAMES NALTON
Joao Pedro’s emotional goals against Fluminense captured the magic of an international club competition. But even as fans bring colour and passion, the Club World Cup’s deeper issues loom large, writes JAMES NALTON
