Arne Slot can now add banishing memories of some of the most painful episodes in Liverpool’s recent history to his list of achievements in the stunning start to his Anfield tenure.
Real Madrid were predecessor Jurgen Klopp’s nemesis among his many successes, agonisingly losing Champions League finals to the Spanish giants in 2018 and 2022, as well as falling to them on two other occasions in the last seven seasons.
Slot shifted the previously immovable Real Madrid object in superb fashion, ending a sequence of six losses and two draws against the 15-time winners in what was the biggest statement of intent since this understated Dutch coach succeeded Klopp.
Real Madrid’s superstar fan Rafael Nadal, deciding to spend some time following retirement from tennis watching his heroes at Anfield, knows a formidable opponent when he sees one. Even he will have appreciated the quality of Liverpool’s performance through his pain at such a comprehensive defeat.
Klopp left Slot an outstanding squad to work with but, with his more measured but still thrillingly potent approach, a remarkable record of 17 wins, one defeat and one draw is a remarkable testimony to the way he has gone about his work.
With every game, every win, the sense that something special is brewing at Liverpool under Slot, the antithesis of his animated, fist-pumping, iconic predecessor, grows.
Slot’s style may be more low-key but that statistic alone illustrates how Liverpool’s fans have hardly been able to see the join since he replaced Klopp. What was billed as an impossible task to replace the beloved, not to mention very successful Klopp, is being made to look like a walk in the park.
The Kop serenaded Slot and his players with “Liverpool, Liverpool Top Of The League” as the seconds ticked down to the final whistle. You can take your pick of which league they were singing about.
Liverpool’s 2-0 win, not a scoreline that flatters them, made it five wins from five in the Champions League to put them top of the new format’s table.
And, as an addition, Liverpool are eight points clear at the Premier League summit, with the chance to go 11 points clear of struggling champions Manchester City with victory at Anfield on Sunday.
Liverpool put the years of suffering at Real’s hands behind them to run Carlo Ancelotti’s side ragged. They shook the success-soaked Spaniards until the rattled Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham watched the night pass them by.
Slot’s team had a fierce, driven hunger that was simply too much for Real Madrid.
How sweet this must have tasted for star turns such as Mohamed Salah, who blasted a penalty wide, and Virgil van Dijk after so many setbacks against this particular team.
Rio Ferdinand told TNT: “Liverpool have thrown the gauntlet down to all the other teams in Europe. They are the in-form team. This Liverpool team look starving.
They look starving and Slot is sending them out there like Rottweilers on the pitch hunting teams down.
“I said before the game, Arne Slot will have wanted to see what his team could produce against a team of this magnitude and they produced.”
No-one epitomised that hunger more than 21-year-old right-back Conor Bradley, who delivered the sort of display that suggested Liverpool may have a perfect replacement in waiting should Trent Alexander-Arnold, as has been speculated upon, take the road to the Bernabeu in the summer.
Bradley has excelled before but this was his best display yet given the occasion and calibre of opposition. It is to be hoped a late injury does not prove serious.
The Northern Ireland defender found himself confronted by Mbappe starting on his flank. To say he gave the great forward a tough time is an understatement.
Mbappe endured a nightmare evening, even missing a second-half penalty which would have undeservedly brought Real level – but one moment of their personal battle stands out above all others.
The forward was bearing down on the Kop with danger in the air in the 31st minute until he was halted in his tracks by a thundering, totally legal challenge, which cleaned out the ball and Mbappe.
Liverpool’s fans rose to their feet in celebration of the tackle, Bradley’s name echoing around Anfield as Mbappe struggled to regain his dignity.
It was not the only time Bradley was praised in song, linking with Alexis Mac Allister for the goal that finally gave Liverpool what they deserved after 52 minutes. He was even a goal threat himself, although he might have done better with a header he directed straight at Thibaut Courtois.
When he limped off three minutes from time, replaced by Joe Gomez, Liverpool’s fans were out of their seats once more in a standing ovation.
Alexander-Arnold will have watched in admiration from the substitutes’ bench. Liverpool would not want to lose such a stellar, local, talent but Bradley’s presence suggests the blow can softened if this comes to pass.
Liverpool can now turn their attentions to Manchester City, currently suffering a serious downturn. Slot’s team could not be in ruder health, with the head coach calmly steering them.
City have not found much joy at Anfield in the past, even in the Pep Guardiola glory era. In their current state they will not be relishing the prospect of facing this rampant side.
Even Slot admitted to a measure of surprise at his record so far, saying: “I didn’t have a schedule in terms of points I wanted. You want to implement the playing style as soon as possible. That is not difficult because it wasn’t that different to Jurgen’s.
“It is great that not only the starters, but the players coming on are doing as we expect. If before the start of the season I had counted points for this point in the season, I wouldn’t have counted as much we have now.”
On this growing body of evidence, Manchester City may fear they will be walking into a perfect Liverpool storm at Anfield on Sunday as the Slot machine continues to find fresh gears.
BBC
