Ex-Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink claims he is “not surprised” by Arne Slot’s strong start to life as Liverpool manager.

Some Dutch coaches have struggled to adapt outside of their own country but, speaking to Genting Casino, Hasselbaink said he did not have such concerns about Slot based on what he heard about him from others:

“To be honest, I’m not surprised by the start that Arne Slot has overseen because a lot of football people in Holland, people that I know, all told me the same thing, they expected him to be a success. He’s not typically Dutch in his style. A lot of Dutch managers can struggle outside of the Netherlands, but people told me that it would be a different story for Slot. I don’t know him personally, but you can see what he’s trying to do after five Premier League games.”

Hasselbaink says he has been very impressed by what he has seen of Slot at Liverpool so far but he still doesn’t believe they will be genuine title contenders, stating he expects them to finish behind Manchester City and Arsenal:

“His teams are very good on the press, and they’re very flexible tactically. He isn’t the type of manager that is afraid to make big decisions with his players and the starting eleven. He’s gone in and made an impact quickly. From the outside, everything looks good. I like the football I’ve seen from his team. It looks like the perfect match and the perfect replacement for Klopp. I expect Liverpool to be up there at the end of the season. I don’t think they have enough to win the title, but third place, no problem.”

Slot’s appointment has gone as well as could have been hoped

Succeeding Jurgen Klopp in the dugout was expected to be tough. The German has very big shoes to fill but Slot has made the transition seamless so far.

Based on Hasselbaink’s comments, though, it seems supporters shouldn’t have been worried about the change in manager.

Liverpool need to show they can beat the best

While the Reds currently sit top of the table, it is fair to say that they haven’t really been tested so far in their first six league games. The shock home defeat to Nottingham Forest does suggest that there is room for improvement.

Sterner examinations are yet to come but if Slot’s team do get some big wins against the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal over the coming weeks then conversations about their title credentials may begin to change.

Sipke Hulshoff was booked during the first half of Liverpool’s game against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League after emotions threatened to boil over.

Anthony Taylor’s yellow cards were not exclusively reserved for the players during Liverpool’s meeting with Wolves, as staff members on both benches were cautioned during the first half at Molineux.

The Reds travelled to Wolverhampton on Saturday in the knowledge that a win would be enough to take them to the top of the Premier League table after Manchester City’s draw at Newcastle.

However, Liverpool did not have it all its own way in the first half as Wolves had the better of proceedings throughout the opening half an hour.

The visitors grew into the game as half-time approached, and Ibrahima Konate eventually gave Arne Slot’s side the lead during first-half injury time, but not before Diogo Jota faced a VAR check for a possible red card after a hefty challenge on Mario Lemina.

Jota escaped with just a booking, and after cautioning the Portugal international, referee Taylor headed over to the dug-outs to show his yellow card to Liverpool coach Spike Hulshoff and Wolves coach Shaun Derry. Hulshoff and Derry were booked after becoming involved in a heated argument with each other over Jota’s foul.

The first half of the match between Wolves and Liverpool was largely forgettable, but Konate ensured the Reds had a lead to defend heading into the half-time break as he headed home from Jota’s brilliant cross.

A dominant period after half-time followed and looked as though it would result in Liverpool extending its lead, but some sloppy defending from Ibrahima Konate allowed Rayan Ait-Nouri to equalise against the run of play.

Wolves remained level for a matter of minutes, though, as Jota was brought down in the box by Nelson Semedo and Mohamed Salah duly dispatched the resultant free-kick.

Should Liverpool go on to record victory at Wolves, only Aston Villa could end the Premier League weekend level on points with the Reds.

Manchester City and Arsenal will both be a point behind the Reds on 14, but Unai Emery’s side is currently on 12 points from five games and Villa travels to Ipswich Town on Sunday.

The status of Mo Salah’s future at Liverpool is enough to give any Red nightmares.

The talismanic figure is part of a trio of Liverpool stalwarts whose contracts are set to expire at the end of the season. Between Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool could look drastically different on-pitch than they have at any point in the last eight years.

Despite Trent’s links to European giants Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, Salah’s future has always been a bit more questionable.

Speaking on talkSPORT, former Aston Villa player turned pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has revealed that he’s hearing rumours of the attacker moving to Saudi Arabia.

“I think he’ll end up getting more than [Cristiano] Ronaldo is getting paid over there, he’ll be the face [of the league].” Agbonlahor said.

“I’m hearing it’ll be free transfer and how annoying would that be for Liverpool to lose Salah at 31 on a free transfer.” the pundit carried on, “I can’t say [who told me] but I just think he would have signed a new contract by now and it’s enough money that he can’t turn down over there.”

Whilst any news followed by ‘I can’t give up my sources’ should always be taken with a pinch of salt, this isn’t the first time that Salah has been linked to Saudi Arabia.

Mo Salah set for Saudi?

If Agbonlahor were to be believed, then Salah would be earning in excess of Cristiano Ronaldo’s current eye-watering £3m-plus-per-week deal. With his current deal sitting at £250,000 a week, and the expectations being that Liverpool would need to pay him £400,000 to get a deal done, he couldn’t be blamed too much if that was the decision he made.

Salah would follow fellow former Reds Sadio Mané, who reportedly earns in excess of £600,000 per week at Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr side, Roberto Firmino (£300,000+ per week at Jeddah-based side Al-Ahli), Gini Wijnaldum (£200,000+ per week at Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq), and Fabinho (£200,000+ per week at league champions Al-Ittihad).

A free transfer would be a worse-case scenario for the Reds, however almost certainly already factored in with Salah’s contract being allowed to run down to expiry. If he were to leave, replacing him would be a nigh-on impossible task.

The Reds got back to winning ways at Anfield banishing any memories of last weekend’s shock defeat to Nottingham Forest – Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and several others impressed.

Arne Slot’s Liverpool impressed with a comprehensive 3-0 victory against Bournemouth at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.

The Dutch boss made several changes coming into proceedings, with second-choice goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher replacing the injured Alisson in the net. Darwin Nunez was given a chance with his first Premier League start this term, with Diogo Jota making way.

Liverpool fans would have been keen to see new man Federico Chiesa out for the first time at Anfield, but he settled for a place on the bench after appearing during the midweek victory over AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League.

The Reds were in for an early shock when, on four minutes, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo had the ball in the net in front of the Kop, but it was ruled out for an offside in the build-up to the relief of the Anfield faithful.

This seemed to wake the home side up; Luis Diaz used his usual trickery to beat a defender three minutes later, when he unleashed a powerful shot, but on-loan Chelsea ‘keeper Kepa was up to the task with a smart save.

Then, on 13 minutes, Dominik Szoboszlai’s volleyed pass split the Cherries’ defence, but Mohamed Salah could only test the keeper once more.

However, the resistance did not last long, on 27 minutes, Diaz beat the offside trap before taking a tidy touch to take it around the ‘keeper, then he added the finishing touch to give Slot’s side the lead.

Just two minutes later, the Colombian doubled his tally, receiving the ball at the back post before beating Kepa once more.

Sticking with the South American theme, Nunez got in the act with arguably the pick of the bunch. He cut inside on 37 minutes before striking a perfect shot past the Cherries’ goalkeeper to give Slot’s side a three-goal lead going in at half-time.

The game was all but over by the second period but fans were eventually treated to new man Chiesa who, alongside Cody Gakpo, was given his chance on 73 minutes in place of goalscorers Nunez and Gakpo.

The win sees Liverpool up to first-place, leaping above Manchester City in the table, with Pep Guardiola’s side set to face Arsenal tomorrow afternoon.

Sticking with Szoboszlai

After last week’s torrid home performance against Nottingham Forest, the Hungarian was singled out by many Liverpool supporters for his lacklustre performance. However, this week he has answered several critics with a goal in the 1-3 victory in Italy before putting in another tidy performance against Bournemouth.

Delightful Diaz

The Colombian has clearly always had the skill and talent to light up Anfield but it was his finishing that fans questioned at times last season. However, any questions were answered on Saturday afternoon with two goals in as many minutes to take his tally to three goals for the season – adding today’s return to his header in the 0-3 win at Old Trafford recently.

Calm Kelleher

Although he was linked with a move away from Anfield this summer, the Irishman was up to the task as he filled in for usual shot-stopper Alisson, against Adoni Iraola’s side. Yes, it was not the most pressurised of games, but he did what was asked of him – always a good thing to fall back in the nightmare of Alisson picking up a long-term knock occurs.

Determined Darwin

The maverick striker was seemingly frozen out in recent weeks but when given his chance against the Cherries, he certainly took it. His 37th-minute strike, to make it 3-0, showed the fans and manger exactly what he can do; he cut inside with nothing on, so unleashed a wonderful strike from the edge of the box, giving Kepa no chance and the Reds a secure lead. His performance may have given the new Liverpool boss something to consider when selecting his side for next week’s trip to Wolves.

Timeless Trent.

The Liverpool-born defender, was once again in impressive form. He provided the assist for Diaz’s second and in doing so registered his 100th goal involvement as a Reds player – 19 goals and 81 assists. Despite not really being tested defensively his attacking class was there for all to see on a pleasant afternoon for those in Red.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has under a year left on his Liverpool contract. Arne Slot knows how good he is but his brilliance definitely shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Inside the final year of his Liverpool contract, you would like to think that it is only a matter of time before Trent Alexander-Arnold agrees an extension with his boyhood side.

Penning a new deal that would make him one of the Reds’ highest earners, ensure he stays at Anfield throughout his peak years, and almost guarantees him the captaincy when Virgil van Dijk moves on, it just makes sense.

But there has been one thing nagging at me this season whenever I’ve had the privilege of watching the Liverpool number 66. I’ll argue with anyone about the defensive side of his game being nowhere near as weak as many like to make out, but I’ve become used to what he does in possession.

At Ipswich Town, Brentford and then Manchester United, he was playing passes that even very good soccer players could only dream of. Effortlessly and with complete ease, Alexander-Arnold would switch the ball from right to left, with pinpoint accuracy.

If almost any other player did what he does multiple times per game, it would be clipped up and shared across social media for weeks. And yet, because it is Trent, who does it so often, it largely goes unnoticed.

Only Kevin De Bruyne across the entirety of the Premier League has a greater expected assists value so far this season and yet that is simply the norm. And he’s been part of a defense that is yet to concede.

Alexander-Arnold is operating at an elite level without the recognition he deserves and it’s my fault as much as anyone else’s. I’ll admit it: I think I’ve become normalized to the brilliance of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

When you look at what he does for Liverpool, it is obvious why Real Madrid would be sniffing around. Even without him potentially being a free agent next summer, the Liverpool ace is a player who would fit in perfectly at the Bernabeu among those superstars.

In fact, there is a strong argument that Alexander-Arnold’s talents would be highlighted far more than if he was in Spain, rather than supposed deficiencies in his game as is often the case in England.

Watching him celebrate in front of the Liverpool section of Old Trafford on Sunday, however, that didn’t look like a player who wants to leave to me. Quite the opposite, in fact: it looked like Alexander-Arnold was relishing the position he finds himself in.

So far under Arne Slot, the team has largely been built around his talents. He has more freedom to stay wide when he wants to or dip inside when the space is there — something I’ve long thought was the best approach.

Alexander-Arnold seems to be more trusted to dictate where he believes he can be most effective rather than always inverting and wherever he goes, the rest of the team slides across to cover. Dominik Szoboszlai, for example, who is nominally the number 10 in the Liverpool midfield, has often charged back to sit in at full-back when Alexander-Arnold has advanced forward.

“Trent has many qualities,” Slot said live on Sky Sports after the win over Brentford. “One of those is his crosses from the side. I want him in dangerous positions and he has a lot of freedom to express himself. The rest have to react around that.

“A lot depends on the opposition too. You have to try and adjust and see where he can be the ‘free player’ and he has the qualities to play anywhere. He is a difficult player to play against!”

Clearly, Slot has recognized Alexander-Arnold’s talents. By bringing Conor Bradley on late in games, his minutes have sensibly been managed, too, to preserve him for as long as possible as the season progresses.

Liverpool knows just how good Alexander-Arnold is, even if it is understandable that some of us — myself included — take him for granted sometimes. When it comes to a new contract at Anfield, that’s not a mistake the Reds can repeat.

He announced the move with a statement on social media.

Liverpool have completed another summer signing after being given final approval by the Premier League.

Arne Slot’s side have made a hugely promising start to the new season, winning all three of their opening games without conceding a single goal.

They beat newly-promoted Ipswich 2-0 in their opening game before seeing off Brentford by the same scoreline.

Slot’s side then went to Old Trafford and thrashed Manchester United 3-0 away from home to head into the international break with a 100 per cent winning record.

New signing Federico Chiesa was in the crowd for the win over United, having joined Liverpool in a £10m move from Juventus last month.

Chiesa is the only senior signing the club has made this summer, although they also signed 16-year-old Alvin Ayman from Wolves shortly are completing a deal for the Italian winger.

Liverpool have now conducted more business, signing highly-rated teenage forward Rio Ngumoha from Chelsea.

It emerged back in July that the 16-year-old had decided to leave the Blues for Liverpool.

However, the England youth international wasn’t able to play for the Reds until the deal was given approval by the Premier League, due to his age.

The move has now been given the green light by the league, after the final stages of the process were completed on Wednesday.

As reported by The Athletic, Liverpool passed the league’s five-step review into the move, which is standard when a young player wishes to move between two category one academies.

A compensation fee for Ngumoha is yet to be decided between Liverpool and Chelsea and a tribunal is likely to be required to determine the final figure.

In 2021, Liverpool were ordered to pay Fulham a £4m fee for Harvey Elliott in a similar tribunal.

The Athletic report that Ngumoha has opted to move to Liverpool from Chelsea ‘having seen the opportunities given to the likes of Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley and Trey Nyoni’.

The winger has signed a scholar’s contract with the Merseyside club and could make his debut for the U18s at home to Blackburn Rovers on September 14.

Ngumoha took to Instagram on Wednesday night to confirm the move, posting a picture of himself with the club’s shirt at Anfield alongside the caption: “Delighted to sign for @liverpoolfc YNWA.”

Featured Image Credit: Getty

Arne Slot took a dig at Jamie Carragher.

Arne Slot aimed a brutal dig at Jamie Carragher live on Sky Sports following Liverpool’s win against Brentford.

Liverpool got their home Premier League campaign up and running on Sunday with a 2-0 victory against Brentford.

Playing at Anfield under Arne Slot for the first time, Liverpool dominated large parts of the game and could have easily won by a greater margin.

Luis Diaz put the hosts ahead when he scored after a fast breakaway in the 13th minute, before Mohamed Salah produced a cool finish 20 minutes from time.

Slot is now two for two in his fledgling Premier League career, following his side’s 2-0 win against Ipswich last weekend.

The Sky Sports punditry team of Jamie Carragher, Jamie Redknapp and Izzy Christiansen were impressed by Liverpool’s performance, which was a bit more measured and less frantic than the ‘rock and roll’ football of former manager Jurgen Klopp.

They were keen to speak to the new Liverpool manager, so keen in fact that presenter Kelly Cates had to cut Carragher off when Slot arrived for his pitch-side post-match interview.

Carragher was speaking when he noticed Cates looking beyond him at Slot, who was walking over to join them.

Arne Slot just putting me away on his Anfield debut!! #LIVBRE

pic.twitter.com/9XtveR7Fn2

— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) August 25, 2024

The Liverpool legend complained: “I’m talking to you and you’re not even looking at me!”

As Slot greeted the team, he joked about Carragher: “Does anybody ever listen to him?

Carragher’s colleagues found Slot’s little dig hilarious, and Carragher himself took it in good spirits.

The former Liverpool defender shared a clip of the incident on X, with the caption: “Arne Slot just putting me away on his Anfield debut!!”

Next up for Slot’s side is a trip to Old Trafford to face arch-rivals Manchester United on Sunday, August 1. The match will pit Slot against fellow Dutch coach Erik ten Hag.

Featured Image Credit: Sky Sports

A fan correctly predicted five scores in the Premier League and was just one Liverpool win away a life-changing win.

A fan was cruelly denied a life-changing jackpot of £1 million after Liverpool beat Brentford 2-0.

One punter participating in Sky Bet’s ‘Super 6’ series looked to be in the money after correctly predicting the scores of five Premier League games across Saturday and Sunday.

Morris from Wolverhampton was bang on in predicting Manchester City 4-1 Ipswich Town, Spurs 4-0 Everton, Crystal Palace 0-2 West Ham, Aston Villa 0-2 Arsenal and Bournemouth 1-1 Newcastle – clinging on after a last-gasp VAR call disallowed what looked like the winner for the hosts.

In the final game of the weekend at Anfield, the supporter therefore needed Liverpool to score three without reply to become one million pound richer. A very possible prospect.

It was looking good when Luis Diaz opened the scoring in the 13th minute, lashing home with his left foot after a Diogo Jota pass in behind.

Arne Slot’s men dominated and had a total of 19 shots, but spurned a number of opportunities.

Mo Salah did make it 2-0 in the 70th minute with a delicate finish but Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken also made a number of superb saves to keep the score down.

And unfortunately for Morris, he was just a single goal away from becoming a millionaire.

Sky did offer a pay out of £6,000 for the 27-year-old, who also correctly predicted the golden goal time.

Yet it was utter heartbreak for Morris after coming so close to a monumental win.

And fans sharing his pain were calling for Sky to cough up more money.

One wrote: “Deserves at least 100k for that.”

A second said: “Could at least double it for him.”

A third opined: “Deserves more than that surely get the purse strings loosened.”

A fourth simply added: “Sickener that.”

A final user commented: “Horrible stuff.”

Featured Image Credit: Getty