Liverpool have secured a record-equalling 20th top-flight title – and Arne Slot will guide them to more silverware.
That’s the view of talkSPORT host Troy Deeney, who believes the Dutchman winning the Premier League is a greater achievement than Jurgen Klopp’s success in 2020.
Liverpool boss Slot has led his side to their second Premier League title[/caption]
Slot has exceeded all expectations in his opening season in Anfield, with his side 15 points clear at the top with four games to play.
The Merseyside outfit needed a point in Sunday’s clash against Tottenham Hotspur to wrap up the title, but won it in style with a 5-1 win.
No club in the Premier League has won more than Liverpool’s 25 this term, while they are also the top scorers with 80 goals as well being defeated on the fewest occasions [two].
Their formidable form is even more impressive considering they have signed just one player under Slot – Federico Chiesa from Juventus in a deal rising to £12.5million.
Meanwhile Slot has also had to deal with off-field headaches as the club desperately looked to avoid losing Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold as free agents.
In the end, Salah and Van Dijk agreed contract extensions until 2027, however Alexander-Arnold seems set to join Real Madrid.
With two key players staying, talkSPORT understands their squad is only set to go from strength to strength with Liverpool to go big in the transfer market.
Having been behind Manchester City and Arsenal as favourites to win the title this term, Slot has now secured his legacy at Anfield.
And speaking to talkSPORT.com, ex-Watford striker Deeney believes Slot has outdone what Klopp managed, with the German winning just one league title in nine seasons.
He said: “I think [it’s a] greater achievement [Slott’s title vs Klopp’s].
AFPLiverpool won against Tottenham to secure the crown[/caption]
“I think he’s not going to get the credit he deserves because the other teams have been so bad.
“So obviously, Manchester City are in a transition, Man United, Spurs, all those transitional years for those teams.
“However, I think when you look at that midfield three [Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai] that Klopp had last year, it was considered their biggest weakness.
“He [Slot] has changed them into their biggest strength this season – those same players. Obviously it helps they’ve had an extra year.
“I think handling the Trent, Van Dijk and Salah contract situation has been fantastic.
“And also Darwin Nunez, he’s realised he’s not the striker for him, he’s just completely took him out the fold.
“And I just think he’s handled every potential banana skin thrown his away excellently.
“The only negative thing you could say about Slot is the way he handled [himself] at Everton [in February].
“That’s it, and it wasn’t even that bad so I think he’s been great.”
And for Deeney, he believes Liverpool are only going to get better – especially if they sign Bournemouth duo Milos Kerkez and Dean Huijsen as well as Newcastle striker Alexander Isak.
He added: “I do think the way this team has been set up – everyone is like, ‘Oh Arsenal are going to get better, City are going to get better.’
“Liverpool will get better. They’ve bought just one player this year, they’ve got so much money ready to go.
“Obviously they’ll probably have to look at trying to get some more attacking impetus from where Darwin Nunez will probably leave.
“Trent leaving, you need more assists, but if they went and got Kerkez at left-back and Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth and Alexander Isak.
“If they got two of those three, the rest of the Premier League is f*****. If they get Isak, we’re f*****.
“Imagine [Luis] Diaz on the left, Isak through the middle and Salah on the right…
“They way that Liverpool set up, it’s really close to going and kicking on.
“This year, they were on for the quadruple and then obviously it fell apart, last season, they were on for the quadruple.
“So if you’re consistently doing that now and you’re going to add to that team and get better… we think Liverpool having a bad year is them winning the Premier League.
“That’s how good they are.”
