‘Rookie’ Ten Hag provides ‘caveat’ for Arne Slot as ‘message enforced’ to Liverpool stars

Arne Slot if off to a flying start as Liverpool manager but Chris Sutton claims “rookie” Erik ten Hag provides a “caveat” for the Dutchman.

Slot replaced legendary Reds boss Jurgen Klopp in the summer, a tough task no matter the expertise, but has won all three of his opening three games, beating Ipswich, Brentford and Manchester United without conceding a goal.

Federico Chiesa was the only new arrival in the summer, though Giorgi Mamardashvili was signed and loaned back to Valencia, but the lack of change has if anything given Liverpool a solid platform from which to excel in the first few weeks of the new campaign.

Sutton is impressed with how Slot’s come in and taken the big challenge in his stride, but did offer a caveat before people get too carried away.

He told CasinoApps.com : “I like the way Arne Slot has handled the situation of going into the club and replacing such a huge figure in Jurgen Klopp. Everybody was slightly concerned about Liverpool’s lack of business in the transfer window before they added Chiesa, but everything looks very settled at the club.

“They’ve got off to a very good start under him. You could caveat that by saying they’ve beaten Ipswich; they’ve beaten Brentford and they’ve beaten Manchester United. No one knows what Manchester United are going to offer this season, but in those three matches, they’ve kept three clean sheets.

“Manchester United lacked any control of the game, while Liverpool were so dominant and so impressive. I don’t think anybody really knew with Slot taking over how long it would take for him to find his feet, and naturally you think a new manager needs time. Watching the game at the weekend, from the two performances, you would have thought that Erik ten Hag was the Premier League rookie on his third game of management, and Slot was the more experienced on his third year. You know what Liverpool are doing and you understand their identity. You don’t quite know what Manchester United are still.

“Slot’s created a really good reputation for himself. Walking into Klopp’s huge, huge shoes, was always going to be difficult. He has and he’s gone in and done it his way. It’s only three games. That’ll be the message he’s enforcing to the Liverpool players, you know, let’s not get carried away yet, let’s keep going. It’s a good start, but that’s all it is at the moment.”

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One of the beneficiaries of Slot’s arrival has been Ryan Gravenberch, who’s played every minute of the first three games playing as the No.6 having started just 12 games under Klopp last term.

The midfielder revealed why he believes he’s improved in his second season at Anfield.

“There were sometimes matches in which I had only touched the ball once after five or six minutes,” he said . “Then you don’t get into your game.

“Now I get the ball more, then you get more comfortable. He just saw this. In the end it worked out well.

“Now it’s going well, so, yes, everyone is praising him [Slot].”