John Aldridge saw one major Liverpool change Arne Slot has made already after Klopp | OneFootball

Liverpool are very much early into Arne Slot’s managerial reign but the initial signs are promising.

It’s important, of course, to contextualise this around the Reds’ soft start to the campaign, with several sides faced in 2024/25 having finished in the bottom half of the table last term. Manchester United and West Ham are the only exceptions in that regard.

However, to frame any argument around this would be immensely narrow-minded given the calibre of the manager being replaced in Jurgen Klopp.

Even Liverpool’s harshest critics would have likely felt it necessary to hold fire had Slot’s opening two months in charge got off to a rocky start.

Yet, the Merseysiders sit at the top of the table having won five out of six Premier League ties. Even their one defeat against Nottingham Forest can arguably be discounted as a blip running against the direction of travel.

Arne Slot showing positive signs after Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool exit

(Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

It’s to Arne Slot’s immense credit that the transition to a new era at Liverpool Football Club has looked virtually seamless.

The players appear to have bought into the Dutch head coach’s methods and the fans are firmly behind the new regime.

Whilst not the most aesthetically pleasing three points in the world, we’re already seeing this team fight and win dirty under the new boss with a hard-fought 2-1 victory taken at the Molineux at the weekend.

“There’s been a lot of talk about the ‘dark arts’ in football given the ongoing fall-out from City’s draw with Arsenal. But there’s always been a time and a place for it,” John Aldridge told the Liverpool Echo via X.

“We called it professionalism back in the day.

“There was a little bit of it from Liverpool at Wolves in slowing the game down in the closing stages, and maybe that’s what was missing last season at times.”

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Regardless of what Gary Neville wants to say about our title hopes, the reality remains that any side with serious aspirations of winning the league will be forced to rely on the ‘dark arts’ now and then.

Just look at Manchester City’s history with tactical fouling or Arsenal keeping bodies in the box in an attempt to defend their slender lead at the Etihad.

It’s a trait that perhaps wasn’t particularly on show in the final two years of Jurgen Klopp’s Anfield reign and it’s absence wasn’t necessarily beneficial.