Arne Slot is enjoying a terrific debut season at Liverpool
Arne Slot is enjoying a terrific debut season at Liverpool
Things couldn’t have gone much better for Arne Slot since his arrival at Liverpool in the summer. The Reds currently sit at the top of the Premier League table, 13 points clear of their nearest rivals.
A 1-0 away win over Paris Saint Germain has given them the advantage ahead of next week’s Champions League round of 16 second leg at Anfield. The team will also compete for the first bit of silverware on offer this season when they take on Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final on March 16.
All that has come after quiet summer and January transfer windows. In fact, there were no new arrivals in the winter window, with winger Federico Chiesa the only arrival in the summer.
Related Articles
Rio Ferdinand silenced as Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk responds to PSG tunnel outrage
Liverpool also agreed a deal for Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili back in the summer. The Georgia international will join the Reds in the summer.
The delay in bringing the goalkeeper to Anfield may have just been proven to be the correct decision. Liverpool number one Alisson proved his worth in Wednesday night’s victory over PSG, pulling off a number of fine saves to keep his team level, and allowing them to grab the vital goal through Harvey Elliott with just three minutes left to play.
Had he moved to Anfield in the summer, Mamardashvili would have found it hard to oust the Brazilian and would have therefore spent most of his time sitting on the bench. Instead, he continues to play regularly for Valencia.
The goalkeeper has received some recent criticism in Spain for his performances. He has however only been on the losing side twice since returning from a four-game lay-off in January.
At 24-year-old Mamardashvili is still relatively young for a goalkeeper and playing regularly will only aid his development and help him come to Liverpool as a better player than he would be for just sitting on the bench. The extra season could help him come and compete with Alisson for the number one shirt in 2025/26, with one eye on eventually taking over from the 32-year-old.
Another player in a similar situation is winger Ben Doak. The 19-year-old is currently on loan with Championship side Middlesbrough.
The teenager has missed the last seven games in all competitions through a thigh injury, but has been a standout player for Michael Carrick’s side so far this season. In his 24 Championship appearances, he has scored three times and provided seven assists.
In fact, his performances impressed so much that Liverpool were reported to have turned down a £15 million bid from Premier League rivals Crystal Palace for the winger in the January transfer window as they secured his future at Anfield.
Doak will be hoping to return to action as soon as possible and continue to impress. He will have an eye on returning to Anfield in the summer to compete for a place in the first team squad.
Sending him out on loan, instead of him being in and out of the squad at Anfield for the current season is proving to be the right move for Liverpool. His season in the Championship will only improve the youngster and therefore benefit the Reds in the long-run.