Arne Slot has managed to defy all odds in his first season as the Liverpool manager, with the Dutchman bringing the Premier League title back to Anfield once again.
Many expected the Reds to be stuck in a rut after Jurgen Klopp’s resignation, but if anything, they’ve managed to thrive.
Career-best performances from Mohamed Salah and others, such as Alexis Mac Allister, have helped matters, but there’s no denying that Slot’s impact on the club has been huge.
One turning point in the campaign, however, was the rather rowdy Merseyside derby in February.
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
However, looking back on the game now, it seems that Slot has a bit more of a positive outlook on the way things have ended up playing out.
Arne Slot sarcastically thanks Michael Oliver and Everton following Merseyside derby fallout
Since Liverpool’s first game of the season, it was clear that they’d be a force to be reckoned with as the campaign went on.
And, to be quite frank, there hasn’t been a point when it didn’t feel like the Merseyside outfit were going to end the campaign as Premier League title winners.
At the time, the draw against Everton felt like a punch to the gut, but now, looking back, the Liverpool manager believes the Reds should be thanking Michael Oliver and Everton for allowing the title to be won at Anfield.
Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images
Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images
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“They scored after 80 seconds. I could feel that the referee was waiting for the moment when we would kick the ball away,” he said in an interview with The Athletic.
“But after 60 seconds, he should have blown the whistle. That was a bit too much, even for me!
“It felt at that moment in time like we had dropped two very important points.
“Looking back at it now, we have to thank Michael Oliver because that late goal meant we could win the title in our stadium (against Tottenham).”
Three players who helped Liverpool secure the Premier League title
It goes without saying that Salah has been Liverpool’s shining light this season.
However, alongside the Egyptian King, others such as Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have also had a massive part to play.
Player Games Goals Assists
Mohamed Salah 51 33 23
Alexis Mac Allister 49 7 6
Dominik Szoboszlai 48 8 9
The 2024-25 campaigns of Mohamed Salah, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai in numbers.
Granted, Salah may be Liverpool’s leading goalscorer and their best playmaker, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that others have also chipped in.
Without each and every one of Slot’s men performing to the extremely high standards they’ve met this term, none of this would have been possible.
With this in mind, the 2025-26 season is also shaping up to be a rather interesting affair as players such as Milos Kerkez are already being linked with a move.
There’s plenty of time for improvements to be made, of course, but with the way things have gone this season, it’s hard to see how Liverpool won’t come back even stronger next term.