Liverpool are preparing for life under a new era as Arne Slot prepares to take charge of his first competitive game as manager.
Slot replaced the ever-popular Jurgen Klopp on Merseyside this summer, with the 57-year-old having enjoyed nine successful years at Anfield. The Reds are set to compete on four different fronts once again this campaign, with Champions League football to come after a third-place finish in the Premier League.
Slot has only ever taken charge of six games in Europe's elite club competition beforehand during Feyenoord's 2023/24 group-stage endeavours. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has, however, despite Slot's seeming inexperience in the competition, issued a bold claim regarding his chances with Liverpool this year.
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“We’re in a position where we’re all surprised and pleased that Liverpool had such a good season last year, off the back of a poor one, but with Liverpool we’ve got
some of the best players in Europe," Carragher began, speaking via a special Sky Sports feature looking at the hopes of all 92 clubs in the EFL.
"We’re bringing a good manager in, and I’m sure we’ll bring one or two players in, and we have a big squad.“The idea of Liverpool having a year off and letting the manager settle in is something I don’t agree with. We did that when I played, whenever a manager came in it was a five-year plan.
"For me, this doesn’t happen at other clubs who have had success like Chelsea, Manchester United, or Manchester City – you’ve got a new manager and of course you have to give him time to adapt, but I want us to challenge on all fronts, we’re Liverpool.
"We have a realistic chance of winning the Champions League, and that’s the pressure of managing Liverpool.“I’m sure the manager will be thinking that he needs to get top four, and it would be lovely to win a trophy – that would be a great season. I just want us to make sure that we compete for everything. We didn’t win everything under Jürgen Klopp, but we competed.”
Jamie Carragher was speaking on behalf of Sky Sports as part of its start of season football campaign which brings together 92 passionate football fans from each team across the Premier League & EFL to share their hopes for the 2024/25 season.
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Liverpool are braced for a huge £100m bid for a key first-teamer, while the Reds still retain interest in one Premier League attacker. Maxence Lacroix has been touted to replace Joel Matip, while the Merseysiders are poised to sign a superstar Alisson replacement on bargain deal.
Meanwhile, Jamie Carragher has exclusively told FourFourTwo that his former side overperformed last season – and that no one expects the Premier League title in Arne Slot’s first campaign.
