Pep Guardiola dealt blow, Mo Salah signs Liverpool deal – Arne Slot's dream scenario

Arne Slot has quickly become a hit with the Anfield faithful, consistently exceeding expectations after stepping into the shoes of the iconic Jurgen Klopp. When Slot was first appointed in May, many supporters may have had doubts about his ability to fill the void left by Klopp, who brought a wealth of success to Merseyside between 2015 and 2024.

The German genius led Liverpool to their maiden Premier League title in the 2019/20 season, as well as securing a Champions League trophy, a Community Shield, and two FA Cups and League Cups before hanging up his boots. So it’s hardly surprising that fans were unsure about what lay ahead under new manager Slot following Klopp’s exit.

Although the 46-year-old had enjoyed success in the Eredivisie with Feyenoord in 2022/23 and won the KNVB Cup the next year, triumphs in other leagues don’t necessarily guarantee success in England’s top tier. One only needs to consider the struggles faced by his fellow countrymen Erik ten Hag and Louis van Gaal at Manchester United to understand that the Premier League is a whole different kettle of fish.

However, Slot has so far managed to quash any doubts. As it stands, Liverpool are soaring at the top of the Premier League – seven points ahead of second-place Chelsea – with 11 victories, two draws and just a single defeat. The club, under Slot’s leadership, appears increasingly poised to recreate their fairytale 2019/20 Premier League victory, especially considering Manchester City’s inconsistent performance so far.

However, Slot’s reign has not been without its challenges. A surprising 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in September raised eyebrows, given Liverpool were the favourites. Meanwhile, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah are currently caught up in a contract dispute, and they could leave Anfield on free transfers next summer.

In the meantime, Slot is setting his sights on the Premier League trophy in his debut season. But what would an ideal 2024/25 season look like for Slot? Express Sport provides the breakdown…

City lose more points in one-horse race

Slot has made it clear that his focus for the Reds this season is on “improving the team and winning as many games as we can,” and so far, he appears to be delivering on promises.

Despite a somewhat lacklustre summer transfer window, where he missed out on Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi and only managed to secure Federico Chiesa from Juventus for £10.1m plus add-ons, along with keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili – who won’t join from Valencia until the 2025/26 season – Slot has been making the most of the squad he took over from Klopp.

Yet, despite the limited reinforcements, Liverpool haven’t seemed to need significant changes, with Slot tapping into the rich vein of talent within the squad.

Football fans are well aware of the dominance Pep Guardiola has exerted in the Premier League with Manchester City since taking over in July 2016. Guardiola has claimed six league titles with City in the past eight years, alongside two FA Cups, four League Cups, three Community Shields, and a much-coveted Champions League title – marking him as the finest club manager in England’s top division since the halcyon days of Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

City have found themselves struggling this season however, with eight wins, two draws and four losses in 14 games – including the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. With difficult fixtures ahead, including Manchester United at home and Aston Villa away, Arne Slot will be keen for Pep Guardiola to keep losing points while Liverpool continue their impressive streak. The Citizens are also already trailing by nine points behind the Reds in the league.

New contracts come to fruition

The saga over contract renewals is a pressing issue for Slot. Key men Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold have contracts expiring at the end of the season. Despite this contract uncertainty not affecting on-pitch performances – evidenced by Salah’s tally of 13 goals and eight assists this season – Slot is naturally eager for these issues to be resolved promptly.

The influential trio could start negotiations with other clubs from January if their situations remain unaddressed. While they seem settled at Anfield currently, the lack of contract extensions could strain relations. Salah’s comment that he feels “more out than in” underscores the urgency, especially given his outstanding contributions to the team.

Van Dijk is reportedly seeking a contract extension that would keep him at Merseyside until 2027, while Alexander-Arnold has been consistently linked with a move to Real Madrid. Ideally for Slot, he would retain all three and secure them to contracts that would prove as beneficial to them as they are to the club – alleviating the pressure and scrutiny surrounding the future.

While Alexander-Arnold’s position remains uncertain amid interest from Real, the apparent willingness of Salah and Van Dijk to sign extensions provides hope for Slot that his dream may become a reality.