Slot worthy of Klopp shoes, Chelsea find identity under Maresca | OneFootball

Liverpool extended their winning streak in all competitions to seven matches, overcoming Chelsea 2-1 at Anfield to retake their place at the Premier League table’s summit.

Both teams headed into Sunday proceedings in high spirits.

Sat at the top of the league standings before October’s international break, the Reds took to the field determined to uphold their near-flawless top-flight start under new manager Arne Slot (W6, L1).

Goals from Mohamed Salah and Curtis Jones on either side of half-time were sufficient as Liverpool made it 144 consecutive home league games without defeat when leading at the break.

Nicolas Jackson’s equaliser at the start of the second half proved a mere consolation goal for Chelsea, who suffered their first Premier League loss outside Stamford Bridge under Enzo Maresca’s stewardship.

Despite relinquishing their perfect away league record in 2024/25 (W3) and a seven-match unbeaten run in competitive action (W5, D2), the Blues must not be ashamed of their Anfield performance.

Smooth Transition

Only a handful of managers have been as impressive as Slot at the beginning of their Premier League adventures.

The Dutchman has embraced the arduous task of filling Jurgen Klopp’s shoes on Merseyside and excelled.

Liverpool have retained their signature attacking flair even after the departure of the charismatic German manager.

Nothing has changed at Anfield offensive-wise.

Slot’s men have netted at least two goals in six of their eight Premier League outings, with only Manchester City (19)and Chelsea (17) eclipsing the Reds’ 15-goal tally.

There’s one thing Slot has yet to figure out.

It seems like the Merseyside giants still over-rely on Salah, with the Egyptian forward directly involved in 67% of Liverpool’s league goals (10/15).

Luis Diaz’s five-goal haul keeps him on par with the talismanic Egyptian, but Salah’s five assists underscore his indispensable role in orchestrating his side’s attacking movements.

Slot will need to find ways to reduce this dependence.

However, the 46-year-old has shored up Liverpool’s backline.

Jackson’s goal was only the third Liverpool conceded after eight league rounds, making them the best defensive side in England’s elite division.

Slot has instilled greater discipline and cohesion in Liverpool’s defence, significantly reducing individual errors and tightening their structure.

His emphasis on quick, efficient transitions has allowed his team to regain possession swiftly, resembling Klopp’s famous ‘gegenpressing.’

Drastic Improvement

After years of wasteful financial sacrifices to assemble a team worthy of the Premier League throne, Chelsea finally appear to be taking the form envisioned by Todd Boehly.

The Blues’ first Premier League away defeat of the season left them sixth in the standings, seven points behind their victorious opponents, yet Maresca left Anfield with his head held high.

One of the highlight points of Maresca’s early tenure is Jackson’s new-found confidence.

Yesterday’s goal was his fifth in the Premier League this season, while he also has three assists to his name.

But like Slot, Maresca must find a way to make Chelsea less predictable in the final third, with Cole Palmer single-handedly responsible for 65% of the Blues’ Premier League strikes this term (11/17).

The Italian boss must develop a more varied and dynamic offensive approach, something Noni Madueke and Jadon Sancho could help with.

While waiting for the latter to open his account for the club, the former has already shown how deadly he can be on a good day.

Unfortunately, those days come sporadically.

Chelsea’s impressive scoring output isn’t the only upside of Maresca’s reign.

Despite conceding ten times in eight Premier League matches, the Blues look significantly more organised defensively than in previous seasons, even though Thiago Silva left the club.

There’s room for improvement, but Chelsea are seemingly back on track under the 44-year-old’s tutelage.