ARNE SLOT has overseen a remarkable start to life at Liverpool.
There were doubts over how he would fare when taking over from Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.
But the former Feyenoord manager has certainly placated those concerns after a stunning start to life in England that sees Liverpool top of the table going into the final international break of the year.
Goals from Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah sealed a 2-0 win for the Reds over Aston Villa, extending their lead at the top of the table to five points after Manchester City fell to defeat at Brighton.
They are also the only team with a 100 per cent winning record in the Champions League, with four from four.
Slot’s team is also still in the hunt for the first trophy available in the form of the Carabao Cup, and will face Southampton in the quarter-finals next month.
And this strong start has also seen Slot make history as the manager to make the best start of any manager in the Premier League era.
With the latest win over Villa, Slot has now won 15 of his first 17 games in charge in all competitions, the most of any manager in the Premier League era.
This saw him eclipse former Chelsea managers Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho, who both racked up 14 wins from their first 17 games.
Ex-Blues bosses Antonio Conte and Maurizio Sarri were next on the list with 13 each, while John Gregory also earned 13 wins after being parachuted into Aston Villa in early 1998.
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Six managers then achieved 12 wins from their first 17 games, four of whom were Chelsea managers.
Those four are Luiz Felipe Scolari, Guus Hiddink, Avram Grant and new England manager Thomas Tuchel.
Meanwhile, the late Sven Goran Eriksson got to this number as Man City boss, while Unai Emery achieved the feat at Arsenal.
Fans might be surprised to see the aforementioned Guardiola not on the list.
But his first 17 games at Man City yielded 11 wins in all comps, with a start of ten wins on the bounce giving way to a run of six without a win before picking up the 11th.
Meanwhile, legendary Gunners boss Arsene Wenger won just seven of his first 17 games in charge of the North London side when he took over in 1996.
The Premier League’s most successful manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, also won only seven of his first 17 games with Man Utd.
That record was remarkably even worse when the Premier League era kicked off in 1992, with United registering just six wins from the first 17 games of that season.
Looking back at Liverpool, Klopp’s first 17 games in charge of the club saw him win nine games, which goes to show how far they have come and the amazing job done in building a capable squad.
While it may be early in the season, Slot will doubtless be aware of what winning the title this season would mean – given that it would see Liverpool match Man Utd’s record tally of 20 English league titles.
By Dan King
LIVERPOOL’S new manager Arne Slot was a good enough player to have a type of pass named after him.
But it is as a manager that the Feyenoord head coach is really making his mark.
Like another bald Dutchman, Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag, Slot earned his stripes bossing smaller sides before being given a chance at one of the Netherlands’ big three.
But the question Liverpool are pondering is whether Slot would make a better fist of running one of the biggest clubs in the world than Ten Hag so far has at Old Trafford.
Slot, 45, was certainly easier on the eye as a player than centre back Ten Hag.
“The Arne Slot Ball” was something he perfected as a silky No 10 – a back-to-goal, first-time, 180-degree spin and flick behind the defensive line for a winger to run on to deep in the opposition half.
Click here to read all about the incoming Liverpool boss.
