Liverpool’s last two matches— back-to-back clean-sheet wins over Aston Villa and European giants Real Madrid— have been the most convincing they’ve looked all season.
Across this two-game stretch, the back line, midfield, and front three have shown a level of cohesion and precision that had been missing for weeks.
These results have fueled a genuine sense that the Reds are on their way to being “back.”
Not long ago, a run of six losses in seven matches made it feel as though the sky was falling on the 2024/25 English champions, who entered the season widely expected to retain their crown after investing heavily in new talent.
Yet a closer look at the starting XI's from these two victories tells a different story. Despite spending £450 million on new signings, nine of the eleven starters against Villa— and eight of the eleven against Real Madrid— were part of last season’s title-winning squad.
Those figures likely would have been even higher had Alisson been available if not for injury.
So while there’s a growing sense that Slot may not need to reinvent the wheel in terms of team selection going forward, club management will still expect him to justify this summer’s hefty spending. How might the Dutchman strike that balance?
Weighing the impact of past performances
One easy way for Slot to determine which players deserve a place in the Starting XI could be the simple action of seeing if any of last season’s players put in standout performances against an opponent with similar DNA this season, which was on full display as Conor Bradley was given the nod to start against Real Madrid.
Last year, the Northern Ireland international kept Kylian Mbappé completely quiet in a 2–0 win over Los Blancos.
On Tuesday night, Bradley delivered another exceptional defensive display, this time keeping Vinícius Júnior in his pocket for what felt like the entire match.
Bradley’s 2024/25 performance against the Madridistas was remarkable; although he hasn’t been one of Liverpool’s most influential players this season, Slot trusted his instinct that the young fullback would rise to the occasion again.
It’s tempting to wonder whether Slot’s decision would have changed had Jeremie Frimpong been fit; but given the growing sense among fans and pundits that maintaining much of last season’s structure is the smartest approach, it’s hard to imagine Bradley not getting the go-ahead either way.
The same logic applies to Dominik Szoboszlai’s performance against City last season, with another huge clash at the Etihad looming on Sunday.
Granted, Szoboszlai has already established himself as a must-start, and arguably Liverpool’s best all-around player this season, but his outrageous goal-and-assist display away to Pep Guardiola’s side last year is further proof that Slot doesn’t need to get overly clever by using him at right back or in another unnatural role.
Let the Hungarian run the midfield, just as he did then.
Last season’s squad won the Premier League for a reason, and it’s clear that ahead of this year's biggest matches, Slot is placing his trust in the players who delivered that glory.
Keeping track of the packed fixture list
Liverpool likely still feel some regret over their EFL Cup exit, a competition in which they’ve historically enjoyed plenty of success.
But with roughly three-quarters of the domestic season remaining, the Champions League still in its league phase, and the FA Cup set to begin soon, the club still has plenty of matches ahead— making rotation more important than ever.
Players like Milos Kerkez and Alexander Isak, who have already shown their quality at previous clubs, face a tricky reality.
With injuries and the growing sense that 2025/26 may be more about maintaining last season’s form, these new signings will either need to impress in training to break into the XI for big fixtures or embrace the idea that earning points while the regulars rest is still a vital contribution to the club.
When the Reds face teams like Wolves in the Premier League, Qarabağ FK in the Champions League, or a Championship side in the FA Cup, they can confidently field one of the world’s strongest "B-sides," trusting that their new players can still deliver the goods.
Furthermore, Slot has already shown a willingness to give his new players freedom across the pitch, as evidenced by Jeremie Frimpong’s deployment on the right wing against Galatasaray.
Matches where Liverpool are "expected" to win not only give the new arrivals a chance to get their feet wet, but also provide Slot with an opportunity to experiment with new tactics at the same time.
This isn’t to suggest that these new players are doomed to be “backups” while the Reds aim to replicate last season’s title campaign.
After all, Kerkez and Isak were both Premier League Team of the Season candidates, and with so much of the season still to play— not to mention the ever-present risk of injuries— the future remains uncertain.
For now, however, Slot may see it as more prudent to let his new players continue adapting to life at Liverpool, a far more demanding badge to wear than any club they’ve represented before.
Remembering the already-tangible contributions of new signings
There’s also the simple fact that, while many of Liverpool’s familiar faces have been the team’s standout performers so far this season, two newcomers, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, have already proven themselves worthy of regular spots in the starting XI.
Against Real, Wirtz once again deserved a goal contribution if not for a stellar performance from keeper Thibaut Courtois.
The German international created a team-high five chances and looked completely at ease playing on the left wing— a notable point as last season’s midfield trio of Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, and Gravenberch appear virtually untouchable in big games, while Cody Gakpo has had an inconsistent season.
It can also be argued that Wirtz has yet to reach his top form in a Liverpool shirt. The fact that he hasn’t scored yet is a bit surprising, given his quality on the ball.
Once he starts consistently filling the stat sheet — which seems inevitable — he’ll be a guaranteed starter in important matches.
Additionally, Hugo Ekitike has stepped into the center-forward role with remarkable ease this season.
While he was relatively quiet against Villa and Real, the Frenchman still leads Liverpool in goals across all competitions, having found the back of the net six times so far.
If Wirtz and Ekitike were the only players Liverpool signed this summer, these transfers would already likely be viewed as home-run acquisitions.
But with three other high-profile signings still finding their place in the squad, it’s easy to mistakenly conclude that the club had an ineffective, overspending window.
While there is still plenty of time to develop an effective two-striker system with Ekitike and Isak— which could prove devastating once perfected, it seems that playing Ekitike as the lone forward is best for the team at the moment, which is exactly what a manager should aim to achieve.