With four fixtures remaining in the Premier League season, Liverpool secured the title early by defeating Spurs 5-1 on Sunday, marking their 20th domestic league title and equaling Manchester United’s record in English football history.
Although the team couldn’t fully celebrate the achievement as the season was still ongoing, they poured their emotions onto the pitch alongside the Kopites in the stands.
As Arne Slot honored former manager Jurgen Klopp by leading the chant "Jurgen Klopp, la la la la la," fans were reminded of a similar scene when Klopp also led a chant to welcome his successor before he left the club.
This moment beautifully came full circle as Slot referenced Klopp after a championship-winning year.
How has the Dutch manager built upon the foundation laid by his predecessor for this season's success?
Jurgen Klopp’s Legacy at Liverpool
When Jurgen Klopp said farewell to Liverpool at the end of the 2023–24 season, he didn’t just leave a trophy haul behind, he handed over a promising blueprint built on resilience, unity and unyielding ambition.
Over nine years at Anfield, Klopp reshaped a club proud of its history into a modern powerhouse. With a PL and a Champions League title being put in his resume, Klopp wrote a title-winning culture into the club’s narrative.
This spirit was inherited by Slot, driving the Dutch to replicate the momentum on the sidelines.
Klopp’s 2023 summer transfer window, headlined by the World Cup Champion Alexis Mac Allister, added fresh steel to an already-potent Liverpool side.
When Slot arrived, he integrated the Argentinian and his fellow '23 recruits into his possession-driven system, their remarkable performances under his guidance validating the club’s no-signings decision in the 2024 offseason.
By March 2024, Liverpool had lifted the Carabao Cup, secured a Europa League semi-final spot and Champions League eligibility, and were still very much in quadruple contention, even though the injury crisis and reckless late-season finish ruined its ambition.
Through it all, stalwarts like Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold still remained at their world-class level.
Yet more than any individual performance, Klopp’s greatest legacy was the culture he created—a genuine “family” spirit that bound players, staff and supporters together.
His emphasis on mutual trust and collective will meant that, when the final whistle blew on his Liverpool era, what remained was far more than a list of results. It was a cohesive group, united behind a clear identity.
Slot’s Transformation from the Basis
With Klopp’s legacy, Slot had evolved Liverpool’s identity on the pitch. Comparing to the former’s relentless full-pitch pressing, Slot introduced a more measured, possession-based approach that allows the Reds to play a more balanced football.
Under his guidance, Liverpool began comfortable playing out from the back while trimming their shot count to focus on higher-quality chances.
Pressing remained part of the game plan, but only at decisive moments. Slot’s more balanced setup sharpened the team’s defensive focus, helping the Reds record 14 clean sheets—the most in the league so far.
Tactically, Slot swapped Klopp’s signature 4-3-3 for a flexible 4-2-3-1, and the results were instant. In his first away trip to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, Liverpool displayed newfound composure, controlling the midfield and striking on the counter to secure a landmark 2-0 win.
Slot also reformed his stars on the squad: Gravenberch dropped into a holding midfield role and flourished as a screen in front of the defence; Salah was given more width to devastating effect, producing career-best goal involvements; and Cody Gakpo and Luis Díaz rotated between the wing and central attacking slots.
Alexander-Arnold, doubted with his defensive weakness, showcased his progress on tackles and some goal-conceded prevention.
Off the pitch, Slot’s small but meaningful tweaks further reinforced the team’s cohesion. He introduced daily team breakfasts to build camaraderie and allow players to rest at home.
He also overhauled training to focus on tactical briefings and possession-based rondos, ensuring every player fully understands their role in his system.
By the time Liverpool wrapped up the Premier League title with a convincing 5–1 win over Tottenham, Slot’s effort behind the picture was impossible to ignore.
Nineteen victories in twenty-three outings, fewer injuries than any other top-six side, revamped team vibe and collective dynamics and important extensions on Salah and Van Dijk’s contract all spoke to a seamless marriage of Klopp’s foundation and Slot’s ideas input.
The Dutchman’s balanced, adaptive blueprint delivered one of Liverpool’s most dominant title runs in the club's recent history.