Liverpool boss Arne Slot has given Enzo Maresca biggest Chelsea compliment as future plan clear

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has admitted Chelsea were the more "dominant" side at Anfield in the Reds' 2-1 win over the west Londoners.

Nicolas Jackson’s 48th-minute effort had cancelled out Mohamed Salah’s first-half penalty on Sunday but Curtis Jones later scored the winner in a tight contest. Chelsea handled themselves very well against the league leaders, dominating the ball and even having more shots than the hosts.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Slot praised Chelsea's approach to the game which will be music to the ears of Enzo Maresca. "I don't think we outplayed Chelsea," the Dutchman said. "We certainly didn't. I think they were more dominant than us with the ball. So in an ideal world, I would have seen us dominating the complete game like we did in so many other games.

"We are not there yet. But I'm hoping that in the future, hopefully in the near future, we play a difficult game like the Milan game or the United game, that we are more dominant than we were against Chelsea. But probably that says a lot about Chelsea as well."

While the Blues got nothing out of the game, their form throughout the 2024/25 season has been encouraging. Maresca's side are sixth in the Premier League having won four out of their opening eight league games, although they have played Liverpool and Man City in that time.

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Slot feels the Blues will only improve further, too. "I said before the game, and I said after the game, and I can say it one more time, a lot of people in England at the start of the season made a bit of fun about them investing so much money, and all these players that were not in the squad," Slot said.

"But in my opinion, they've done in the last one or two years, really well bringing so many talented players in and now having such a strong squad with such a good manager, that they will be up there in the upcoming years. That's my opinion. And let's see if I'm right."

It remains to be seen if Maresca is given the time he needs to keep improving Chelsea. Judging by the Italian's impressive start, it could be the beginning of an exciting era at Stamford Bridge.