Arne Slot claims it is "not a surprise" that Liverpool are on the verge of Premier League glory after Jurgen Klopp's departure.
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Slot guiding Reds to title in first seasonCould be confirmed as champions this weekendKlopp left last seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Liverpool are on the verge of winning the Premier League title for the second time, and their 20th league title in total, and they could be confirmed as champions this weekend, if they beat Leicester City and Ipswich Town beat Arsenal. If not, a win against the Foxes will leave the Reds in need of just three more points, and they could instead be confirmed as champions if they beat Tottenham next weekend.
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The Reds finished third in Klopp's final season and few would have imagined them to enjoy such a dominant campaign this term. Slot, though, insists his expectations have been met, because Liverpool have a history of challenging for the highest honours. Indeed, once they win the Premier League, as seems inevitable, they will be confirmed as the joint-most successful English side of all time, as they will match Manchester United's haul of 20 league titles.
WHAT ARNE SLOT SAID
Slot told the Mirror: “You go to a club like Liverpool, where you feel there’s always an opportunity. But I also like to be realistic, and realistic was the two seasons before.
“Last season, they came closer than the season before, but last season, they only had Europa League, where the starters hardly ever played. So we knew we had the challenge of doing well in the Premier League, combined with Champions League, which was the season before, quite difficult.
“But it’s not like I went to a club that has never competed for the number one position. So, yeah, it’s in your mind. But that’s not the first thing you think of. Your first thing is try to play good football, win as many games as you can, and then let’s see what comes from that in the league table.
“But it would be weird if I would say now, if you join Liverpool, ‘oh, I’m completely surprised with the position we are in at the moment’. Because this is not a strange position for this club to be in.”
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The Reds will simply focus on themselves this weekend but they could be forgiven for casting an eye towards Arsenal's result as they bid to finally confirm their status as champions of England.
