Liverpool chant at final whistle says it all as Arne Slot enjoys Jurgen Klopp gifts
It was exactly a year ago this Sunday when Jurgen Klopp dropped the bombshell he would be leaving his post as Liverpool boss at the end of the season. But while the League Cup was subsequently snaffled on a memorable afternoon at Wembley, the greatest parting gifts from the departing manager were still to come.
The first was giving the Reds the time to source a suitable replacement in Arne Slot. And the second was ensuring the Dutchman inherited a squad which, with some tweaking and fine-tuning, remains capable of challenging for major honours.
Certainly, any lament over Klopp’s exit was soon banished by an encouraging start to the campaign from Liverpool, the momentum of which continues to roll throughout the club.
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There is now an air of expectancy among Reds supporters who rock up to Anfield, and they were treated to the rare luxury of a comfortable afternoon here as struggling Ipswich Town were effectively beaten before the half-time whistle.
Indeed, when Dominik Szoboszlai thumped in an early opener, the strains of “Liverpool, Liverpool top of the league” could be heard on the Kop, repeated when Cody Gakpo struck the third shortly before the break.
Klopp, always invested in every facet of the club, would fume on the touchline at hearing such a song so early in proceedings. Slot, though, prefers to concentrate on the coaching of his players, with his perfectionist streak meaning he won’t have been happy at the loss of a clean sheet when Jacob Greaves grabbed a scarcely-deserved consolation for the visitors in the closing moments.
Gakpo, one of five players restored to the starting line-up, is in a rich vein of form, particularly at Anfield with his brace against the Tractor Boys meaning he has now netted in eight of his last nine home appearances.
With Arsenal ekeing out a narrow win at Wolves and Nottingham Forest thumped at Bournemouth, the title race is seemingly being whittled down to a two-horse race between Liverpool and the Gunners.
And as the game at Anfield drifted into additional time, there was a reminder of one final present from Klopp as the Liverpool support broke out into the chant the former boss afforded his successor on his final match last May.
Klopp’s fingerprints can be seen all over this Reds squad. This, however, is now very much Slot’s team. Liverpool, Liverpool still very much top of the league.