‘Slot’s greatest drawback is not Liverpool’s fixtures – he faces immeasurable loss’

He’s slotted into Jurgen Klopp’s shoes like the perfect fit.

And nine wins from his first 10 games as Liverpool manager means Klopp hasn’t been missed. Which is quite an achievement, considering the legacy the German left behind at Anfield.

But let’s be clear, the hard work for Arne Slot hasn’t even started yet. Beating the likes of Bournemouth, West Ham and Wolves is nothing to crow about. That’s just par for the course at a club with expectations like Liverpool.

While Slot inherited a team which needed tweaking, rather than reconstructive surgery, in the next two months we will have a much better idea of what Slot is made of. We will discover if he’s the real deal when it comes to results, as well as his gravitas off the pitch as well.

Having breezed through the season so far, Slot is about to discover how demanding the Premier League can be. Liverpool face a run of league fixtures that includes Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton, Aston Villa and Manchester City.

Throw in the small matter of Champions League clashes with German champions Bayer Leverkusen and the mighty Real Madrid, and it means the acid test of Slot’s credentials will go on for weeks. And all this comes along like a wave, before the Christmas schedule even kicks in.

If Liverpool are genuine contenders at home and abroad this season, then this will be the time to prove it. Yet there is another challenge for Slot even greater than the run of games he faces.

In just over two months time, three of his most influential stars will be free to talk to rival clubs. Virgil Van Dijk, Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all out of contract in June. The contribution these three have made to the team in recent seasons is almost immeasurable.

A Liverpool side without them in it is unthinkable for supporters, so Slot and his club bosses have serious work to do. Not least because Alexander-Arnold is on the radar of Real. A club almost impossible to turn down, like his big mate Jude Bellingham has probably told him.

Salah would like a huge pay day before he gets too old, with a number of Saudi Arabian clubs willing to offer him one. While Van Dijk’s stature and class means he wouldn’t be short of offers either. All three might have made up their minds already.

While it’s safe to assume Liverpool are talking to them about their futures, in the meantime, Slot has a huge role to play when it comes to Liverpool’s chances of keeping one, two or all three of their leading lights.

He needs to prove he is the manager capable of scaling the same heights Klopp did. Perhaps then, Van Dijk, Salah and Alexander-Arnold might see their futures still being at Anfield, instead of elsewhere.

And Slot can only do that by winning more games, to keep Liverpool in the hunt for the biggest trophies. Starting with the visit of Chelsea to Merseyside today. Slot hasn’t been tested yet, but all this is about to change.