Liverpool legend claims Slot needs one of two things to avoid ‘failure’; drops bold PL prediction

Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson believes Arne Slot needs to achieve one of two things to make sure his debut season as head coach is not a “failure”.

The Dutch head coach left Eredivisie side Feyenoord at the end of last season as he replaced Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool .

Klopp announced he would be leaving Liverpool in January 2024. Xabi Alonso and Ruben Amorim were linked with the Premier League giants as potential replacements, but Slot eventually emerged as FSG’s preferred candidate.

Under Slot, Liverpool have made a superb start to this season as they sit top of the Premier League after seven games. The Reds have won nine of their first ten games this campaign across all competitions.

Liverpool’s credentials will be seriously tested in the coming weeks as they have a gruelling run of fixtures coming up. This starts this weekend as they host Chelsea at Anfield.

Before this game, Lawrenson revealed what he thinks Liverpool must achieve this season to ensure Slot’s debut campaign as head coach is not a “failure”.

“Arne Slot will be aiming at all of the silverware available to Liverpool this season,” said Lawrenson.

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“It’s always been the case at the club, you aim for everything and if you win one, that’s great, and if any more silverware is picked up then fantastic.

“He’s got the team and the squad to do it this season – he’s inherited a world class group of players from Jurgen Klopp with a winning mentality.

“If Liverpool don’t pick anything up this season I’d deem that a failure for them and Slot in his opening season as manager as well as finishing out of the top three in the league, but I don’t see that happening.

“I’d be surprised if they didn’t make top three though, as those three teams look to be quite far ahead of everyone else.”

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Lawrenson has also predicted this weekend’s match against Chelsea, while he has backed Liverpool to “finish second” this weekend.

He added: “I wouldn’t say Liverpool have had a ‘honeymoon’ period so far this season under Arne Slot, they’ve just beaten the teams that they’ve come up against.

“I see them beating Chelsea, not so much Arsenal. They’ll make the top three, and along with Arsenal and Manchester City, I think they’ll be a fair margin ahead of the rest of the table.

“I can see this season that a lot of the teams lower down the table have improved and they’ll be taking plenty of points off each other.

“I think Arsenal will win the league, by hook or by crook, and Liverpool will finish second. I’m not really sure what’ll happen with Man City as we don’t know what’s going on over there.”