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Arne Slot has already sent Liverpool players clear Chelsea warning with Erik ten Hag Man Utd dig

Erik ten Hag and Arne Slot
-Credit: (Image: Michael Regan)


Chelsea face arguably their toughest test of the season thus far on Sunday as they travel to Anfield to take on Premier League leaders Liverpool. The Blues have started their top-flight campaign impressively but go to a stadium notoriously difficult for visitors to take any points from at the weekend.

Arne Slot has got his Reds side ticking following the departure of Jurgen Klopp at the end of last season. Many questioned whether the Dutchman could thrive in England while replacing Klopp, who will go down as a legend at Anfield for what he did with the club.

However, in the seven Premier League matches Slot has taken charge of so far, Liverpool have won six and lost one. Those opening seven fixtures, though, on paper, were favourable towards the Reds. A trip to Old Trafford, where Liverpool won 3-0 against Manchester United, is arguably the toughest opposition the Reds have faced thus far, although they made it look comfortable.

Slot has continuously referenced that Liverpool have a much trickier run of fixtures coming up with Chelsea being the start of a tough schedule for the Reds. The Liverpool boss even poked fun at Man United, the Merseyside club's biggest rivals, while discussing their upcoming matches.

Speaking earlier in the month, Slot said: "One of the reasons why we can compete is because we have a lot of quality. I also see a lot of cohesion in the team.

"If we score I also see the ones that don't play are really happy with us scoring and winning. Those are two really positive things. But I also see things we definitely have to improve if we want to stay where we are with the fixture list that is coming up.

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"Like I said, every fixture is difficult in the Premier League but everybody tells me that a top league table team is a bit more difficult than a low league table team, which we can all understand and we haven't faced one of them yet. So we have to do things better, but one of the reasons why we can stay up there is because we have a lot of players with a lot of individual quality."

Chelsea, who only Manchester City have scored more goals than this season in the top-flight, are the latest test for Slot and Liverpool - and one the Dutchman knows his side will have to be at their very best for on Sunday. The fire-power the Blues possess in attack is like nothing the Reds have come up against so far under their new head coach.

With the likes of Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku, Jadon Sancho, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer, Joao Felix and Mykhailo Mudryk all to choose from, Enzo Maresca could theoretically do anything at Anfield when it comes to team selection to try and throw Slot off. However, Maresca knows his team will need to be prepared for what Liverpool throw at them in an attacking sense.

The Reds have great depth when it comes to their front-line, too, with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Federico Chiesa, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota to choose from. Liverpool also have the best defensive record out of any side in the Premier League in the opening seven games with Slot solidifying his back-line, who have conceded just two goals in over 630 minutes of football.