What else is football for other than its swell of emotions? And if it was love at first sight with Jürgen Klopp, when will the Liverpool faithful fall for Arne Slot? A continued superb start to the season, top of the table when it was supposed to be Arsenal and Manchester City streaking away, he could hardly have done a better job. There remains a distance. Fans too cool for school? Possibly. A love hangover from those last days of Klopp ending so bittersweetly? Almost certainly.
From Slot, there will be no touchline pogo, no bearlike screams, even if he can be demonstrative from the technical area. The will to win is still just as apparent as Klopp’s. The results so far are excellent, just two league goals conceded all season, but his horizons are far wider. “I am hoping to do more special things than only winning nine out of ten, but it’s a good start,” Slot said.
