Which team is the last to win the Premier League title in the transition period? There may still be many controversies, but Manchester United in 1996 will be the most convincing answer.
After Andrei Kanchelskis, Paul Ince and Mark Hughes left, Sir Alex Ferguson put his faith in the generation of mature players from the academy, including David Beckham, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and many other young faces, making them a regular pillar of the first team.
It was a bold change and also a big risk for Ferguson, when he decided to move from veteran, experienced players who had affirmed their class to giving the trust of young faces.
Liverpool is a bit different. They are champions, and are now trying to rebuild themselves while still at the top. However, Arne Slot's transformation of a team that just won the championship last season into a team with a completely new look is still a truly bold gamble.
Two new full-backs, a new striker, even a new "conductor". They have spent £400m to rebuild the squad - partly because Luis Diaz wanted to leave, and Trent Alexander-Arnold has joined Real Madrid.
And for those who have claimed Liverpool can handle things without Arnold, the reality has shown the opposite. Slot's side are missing the England right-back more than ever.
To understand better, 2025 is also a turbulent summer when the "Red Brigade" has to share the pain of losing Diogo Jota, who is loved by all teammates. Any dressing room would be shocked by such a loss.
The club handled the situation as calmly and respectfully as possible, but it was still another big challenge for Slot and the entire Liverpool team - both emotionally and in terms of solidarity.
It is worth noting that Liverpool is exploding in a completely new way this season. Jeremie Frimpong joined the squad, while Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz were both given starting positions from the start. Up front, Hugo Ekitike is the new signing, while Alexander Isak joined the team the latest.
All of these changes create a strong boost in both motivation and playing style, marking a new, bolder look for Liverpool.
Suddenly, last season's midfield, including Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, was disrupted to make way for Florian Wirtz - a player who is both creative and artistic.
However, Wirtz is completely different from what Liverpool were familiar with. Ideally, the team will need to re-establish the squad, in order to create conditions for him to play in the number 10 position, where his creativity and ability to regulate the match are maximized.
An impressive start with 5 consecutive wins in the Premier League and a convincing win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League are proof of Slot's excellent human management skills. In addition, there is extraordinary spirit, helping Liverpool often score decisive goals in the last minute.
However, Liverpool's defeat to Crystal Palace, and recently Chelsea, shows that the team still has many problems to improve. They need to be more connected, while Ibrahima Konate is struggling, the right-back position is still a problem, and the question of Wirtz's position as well as Isak's efficiency has not been answered.
Ideally for any team, it is to increase strength when at the top, but in reality Liverpool do not have that. They have to buy two new full-backs, the midfield needs to add strength, and the attack also needs to be strengthened. The departure of many players forced the team to rebuild the squad, and this is clearly a big gamble for Slot.
It is clear that Jurgen Klopp's old team is in need of a major surgery. Slot has been delayed for a year, and now he has to do it. Only time will tell whether Liverpool can overcome the final challenge.
