Football Season Guide

After a major spending spree last summer, Liverpool struggled to reach the heights of their title-winning campaign under Slot. A feud between Slot and Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk’s drop in form and Alexander Isak struggling to adapt to his new surroundings resulted in the Reds losing as many as 19 games across all competitions and finishing fifth in the table. The departures of Mohamed Salah, Andrew Robertson and Ibrahima Konaté mark the definitive end of a legendary era for Liverpool, who began turning the page last season. Meanwhile, Slot has been succeeded by one of the most promising Premier League coaches in former Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola. The Basque tactician will hope to reinstate the high-intensity style of play that saw Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool become a dominant force in the continent. Yet, there are glaring gaps in the team’s squad, as a successor to Mohamed Salah is needed soon, while defensive and central midfield depth remain another two areas of concern for fans. On a positive note, Liverpool’s spine consisted of Alisson, Van Dijk, Dominik Szoboszlai, Florian Wirtz and Isak remains intact, offering Iraola strong backbone to build around. Yet, Liverpool lack depth in several positions, an issue they must address if they are to compete for trophies this season, particularly given the energy and intensity demanded by Iraola’s high-octane style.