Arne Slot Makes History at Liverpool
The Dutch manager Arne Slot became the first coach of an English team to win 11 of his first 12 matches across all competitions, also achieving the best away start in the club's history. Despite the challenge of succeeding Jürgen Klopp, Slot has quickly won over Liverpool’s fans. In the third round of the Champions League, his team defeated RB Leipzig 1-0 thanks to a goal from Darwin Núñez. This victory carries special significance as the German club is the flagship of the Red Bull group, where Klopp will become the global director of football on January 1.
Beyond the symbolism of defeating the future organization of his predecessor, Slot accomplished something unprecedented in English football. After arriving this summer from the Netherlands, where he spent his entire career as a player and coach, he became the first manager in 132 years to secure 11 wins in his first 12 matches. Additionally, with this victory in Leipzig, Liverpool achieved their sixth consecutive away win—something never seen before in the club's history. "So many great teams and managers have been part of this club, so achieving something new is truly special," Slot remarked.
Despite these records, Slot remains grounded: "Records are nice, but there is something more beautiful than records, and that is trophies," he said, knowing the Anfield crowd would approve of his words. With three wins in three matches, Liverpool leads their Champions League group and now aims to maintain their Premier League lead in Sunday’s tough encounter against Arsenal in London.
With the match in mind, Slot rested Mohamed Salah, substituting him off after 60 minutes. "It’s going to be a great game," predicted the Dutch manager, pleased with his team's strong away form this season. Now, the challenge is to continue winning hearts and planting the seeds for future success in the spring.
