
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.

JAMES NALTON writes on how the title win has sparked long-awaited celebrations among fans after a triumph four years — and one pandemic — in the making

JAMES NALTON hails the rise of the number of Chinese players heading to the Crucible

As the historic ground prepares for its emotional farewell, even visiting teams like Manchester City are paying tribute to one of English football’s most storied stadiums, writes JAMES NALTON

A new front in the fight for football’s soul is emerging — one rooted in trade union values and collective power