Arne Slot brings to Liverpool a new backroom staff, a new ideology, and a new outlook on a preferred starting line-up. Players will be eager to impress on the training field from day one to cement their place in Slot’s long-term plans. As with any managerial change, there will be winners and losers, but which five players will benefit the most from the Dutchman’s arrival?
Top Five Liverpool Players Who Will Benefit from Arne Slot
Alexis Mac Allister
Alexis Mac Allister was one of Liverpool’s stand-out players towards the back end of the 2023/24 campaign and will hope to build on his potential in his sophomore season. Slot has traditionally favoured using a double pivot in central midfield – a role that Mac Allister excelled in during his time at Brighton.
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Mac Allister thrives in possession when he is further back, as he can control the tempo of the game by playing piercing passes through the opposition defence, especially when a team is in a compact low block. When he occupied this role under Jurgen Klopp, he was often caught out on the counterattack as opponents exploited his relative defensive weaknesses.
However, if Mac Allister starts in Slot’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, he will have more freedom to focus on attacking. On the other hand, his more defensive-minded midfield partner can sweep up loose balls and nip any counterattacks in the bud.
Joe Gomez
Whilst Gomez has recently been touted as a solution to England’s left-back issues, it is evident that his long-term future at Liverpool resides in the centre of defence. Slot will be looking for a composed, ball-carrying defensive partner to Virgil van Dijk and Gomez fits the bill perfectly.
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Gomez and Van Dijk combined to great effect during Liverpool’s title-winning season with the Englishman able to shine as a utility player across the back line last season. His previous successes alongside Van Dijk will tempt Slot to prefer Gomez over Ibrahima Konate, who is more error-prone.
This, combined with Joel Matip’s departure, has opened the door for the 27-year-old to establish himself as a mainstay in Liverpool’s defence as he strives for consistent minutes. He will certainly fancy himself to win the selection battle against Konate.
Harvey Elliott
Elliott’s quality was constantly on show for Liverpool last season, evidenced by clamour from fans and pundits alike for the 21-year-old to feature more during Liverpool’s disastrous run-in. However, he was arguably out of position in Klopp’s midfield trio, where his lack of pace was exposed when he occupied wider spaces.
However, Slot’s system has a wide opening for a player like Elliott to fill in the number 10 position. Here, he will be able to showcase his full skillset, drifting between the opposition’s defensive lines and getting more time on the ball. He will look to use his quick feet and potent left boot to create chances out of nothing.
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Elliott will face stiff competition from Dominik Szoboszlai for starts and players such as Diogo Jota will also want to press their claim. However, it is a position that will demand rotation throughout the season and Elliott will not mind taking his time to fully develop into one of Liverpool’s most indispensable players.
Luis Diaz
The Colombian’s style of play will certainly attract Slot’s attention. Diaz is a traditional, direct winger who loves to run at defenders, either cutting in or sprinting to the byline to whip in a cross.
He will be assisted by Andrew Robertson’s work rate to inject energy into Liverpool’s left flank. Slot will want to see Diaz’s runs, twists, and turns used to generate space for his teammates to exploit.
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His Liverpool future is in doubt as Barcelona have reportedly expressed interest. However, they are unlikely to be able to afford him. Slot will be keen to work with Diaz as soon as he returns from international duty and the Colombian will hope to deliver better returns in the upcoming season.
Stefan Bajcetic
Bajcetic’s meteoric rise to Liverpool’s first team stalled as he missed the majority of the last term through injury. However, he impressed during his breakthrough season, bagging six starts at just 18.
His composure on the ball and ability to make quick recoveries highlight him as the perfect foil to Mac Allister. Slot is known for promoting young talent and, like his predecessor Klopp, will be keen to give Bajcetic as many minutes as possible as he continues his rehabilitation.
Whilst regular starts are still a long way away for the Spaniard, both due to his age and recent injury troubles, he will eye that midfield spot in the long term. He will hope to prove that Slot does not need to invest heavily in that position during the transfer window.
