Liverpool manager Slot faces tough tactical test in second Premier League season

When Arne Slot sauntered into the English Premier League a year ago, his shoulders were unburdened by extreme pressure.

Yes, he was joining Liverpool, one of global soccer’s biggest brands. But no one expected Slot to win the league in his debut season in charge of the Reds. He did, and comfortably at that.

Granted, he inherited a ready-made and battle-­hardened squad from his predecessor Jürgen Klopp. But he still had to make the team perform.

As he enters his second campaign in charge of the Merseysiders, the weight of expectation on Slot has increased significantly.

The Liverpool hierarchy favoured Slot as Klopp’s replacement because the two managers’ tactical philosophies are not streets apart. Both favour a high press, but Slot’s press is less intense than the one that underlines Klopp’s “heavy metal” soccer.

Because the Reds were a relatively settled group when Slot was appointed, Liverpool did not make any major signings. They merely recruited Italian winger Federico Chiesa – who added almost no value, since he spent large chunks of last season injured.

The ins and outs

Shifting fellow Dutchman Ryan Gravenberch from central midfield to defensive midfield was one of the tactical tweaks Slot was praised for. In his sophomore season in charge of Liverpool, Slot has been heavily backed in the transfer market.

During their 3-2 penalty loss to Crystal Palace in the Community Shield before the start of the 2025/26 season, the Reds showed off some of their latest acquisitions. Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong – all signed from Germany’s Bundesliga – impressed on the attacking front against Palace.

However, Liverpool’s defensive frailties were exposed by the FA Cup holders. Palace twice came from behind to level after Liverpool had taken the lead.

After that particular exercise – the last before the Reds’ title defence commenced – Slot acknowledged that his team still lacks the right balance, especially with the new arrivals still trying to find their place in a team that has also sold some important players.

Fullback Trent Alexander-Arnold has joined Real Madrid after the expiry of his contract, and fleet-footed forward Luis Díaz was sold to Bayern Munich. Uruguayan Darwin Núñez failed to live up to expectations after joining for a base fee of £64-million from Benfica in 2022. He has been shipped to Saudi Arabia.

Slot’s Liverpool 2.0

These ins and outs send a clear message. Slot may not have tinkered too much with the side he inherited from Klopp last season, but in 2025/26, he is ready to mould his own team and prove that his winning start to life in England was no fluke, as some critics suggest.

“We’ve replaced four players and sometimes you need some time either to adapt offensively or adapt defensively,” said Slot on where his team currently is.

He added that as they shake off a few more traits from Klopp’s Liverpool, he is concerned about the Reds’ defensive weaknesses, particularly from set plays.

Pre-season results are not always a great barometer for a team’s potential ahead of a new campaign. Nevertheless, Slot will be concerned by the fact that his team only managed a single clean sheet in its seven pre-season matches.

“We don’t concede a lot of chances, but we do concede goals at the moment,” Slot said.

“Last season we had a lot of ball possession, but that didn’t always lead to promising situations. Now, we are better at creating and getting promising situations than we were throughout the whole of last season,” he said.

“What made us really strong last season was that we mostly won by a margin of one goal. That had to do with us keeping a clean sheet or, as a maximum, conceding one goal.”

Tough task of defending title

Dynamism and adaptability will be required as Liverpool embark on the tough task of defending their status as England’s best club. History is against the Reds, though.

Of the seven past Premier League winners, only Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City have managed to defend their title. Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City and Arsenal have all failed to retain the title after winning it.

City came into last season as the heavy favourites after making history by winning the Premier League four times in a row during an era of unrivalled dominance. With many backing Pep Guardiola’s men for a fifth successive league title, they imploded and watched on as Liverpool cruised to victory in the marathon.

This season, Slot’s men will not have it as easy. All the other teams with league ambitions have improved and will be out to topple the Reds from their perch.

Great expectations

Liverpool’s league success may have overshadowed their poor showing in cup competitions, but in Slot’s second season the pressure to perform in that department will also be higher.

“We all have plenty of experience, winning and losing… We realise we need a couple of things that we have to improve [on] as a team if we want to retain the title, which obviously will be a very big job in itself,” said Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.

The Reds need a striker after selling Núñez and Díaz, while only signing Ekitike in the centre forward position. The English champions are currently furiously pursuing Newcastle United sharpshooter Alexander Isak.

Should the Reds successfully recruit the Swede, he will be the biggest signing of this transfer window. Although that deal remains uncertain, see Daily Maverick’s picks for five exciting Premier League signings to keep an eye on in the 2025/26 season in the green box on this page. DM

Star signings

Florian Wirtz (Liverpool): The attacking midfielder became Liverpool’s most expensive signing yet when he joined from Bayer Leverkusen in June 2025. He comes to Liverpool after some impressive displays in the Bundesliga. The playmaker brings goals and assists. He will be vital for Liverpool’s ambitions.

Viktor Gyökeres (Arsenal): Cristiano Ronaldo recently referred to Gyökeres as a “special player”. The new Gunners recruit scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for previous club Sporting. As Arsenal hope to finally improve on the second place they have managed in the league over the past three seasons, Gyökeres’s goals will be key.

João Pedro (Chelsea): Chelsea’s working relationship with Brighton once again shone as the Blues signed Brazilian attacker João Pedro from the Seagulls. The 23-year-old joins Moisés Caicedo, Marc Cucurella and Robert Sánchez in swapping Brighton for London. He will improve Chelsea’s attack significantly.

Benjamin Šeško ­(Manchester United): For years Manchester United have searched for a quality striker. Slovenian Šeško might be what the Red Devils need to regain their aura after they were almost relegated last season. He offers a dominant aerial presence, but also possesses impressive pace.

Anthony Elanga (Newcastle United): The Swedish winger was an important player for Nottingham Forest last season, walking away with career-best figures of six goals and 11 assists in the Premier League. His pace and directness will add another dimension to Newcastle’s attack. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.