“Liverpool, Liverpool, top the league” was the chant that rang out around Anfield after the Reds beat Brighton and moved to the top of the table. Since taking over from Jurgen Klopp as head coach, Arne Slot has had his share of glory at Old Trafford, the San Siro and even a win over Chelsea. However, this victory had a different feel, making Slot feel the power of Anfield.
Throughout the first half, Liverpool played a disjointed, uncoordinated game and made many mistakes. The Merseyside team seemed to have lost their way, and Ibrahima Konate’s injury made things even more difficult. However, fortunately for the “Reds”, Brighton only led by 1 goal.
Anfield was filled with anxiety at that time, because Arsenal had just lost to Newcastle and Man City had unexpectedly lost to Bournemouth, opening up a valuable opportunity for Liverpool to take the lead. It seemed that the golden opportunity would be lost, but Arne Slot's team had a perfect transformation in the second half.
Immediately after the break, Liverpool played with much higher speed and intensity, putting constant pressure on Brighton. The Anfield stands also responded with excitement, turning the place into a fiery Vietnamese sausageo full of pressure. Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah took turns scoring, bringing a 2-1 victory for The Kop. Notably, Liverpool only won 48% of the disputes in the first half, but in the second half, that number increased to 70%, clearly showing their fighting spirit.
“I have only experienced the atmosphere of Anfield on television before and now I have experienced it live. It was so exciting, the atmosphere was fantastic, wild and what we needed to do was to stay calm. However, we could not find a solution and the pressure from Liverpool was getting bigger and bigger,” said coach Fabian Hurzeler.
“We changed a little tactically, but the important thing was that the players showed a different attitude and intensity. When things go against you, you have to stand up and fight and luckily we have a lot of fighters in the team. The fans' support also gave us strength,” said Arne Slot after the match.
The match against Brighton was exactly five years since Liverpool’s dramatic 2-1 win at Villa Park, thanks to two late goals, ended a 30-year title drought. While it is difficult to accurately assess the significance of the win over Brighton, it could be a highlight in this season’s title quest.
When Arne Slot took over, many thought this season would be a transitional one with a realistic target of a top-four finish. However, the current record has changed things. Liverpool are currently top of the Premier League, two points ahead of Man City and seven ahead of Arsenal. Slot has won 13 of his first 15 games - one of the most impressive debuts in the history of The Kop.
Under Slot, Liverpool have been transformed. Players who lost form at the end of last season have been reborn. Although the Dutchman modestly credits spirit for turning things around, the tactical tweaks have made a huge difference.
The decision to bring on Curtis Jones and Luis Diaz for Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai paid off, and with the lead gone, Slot replaced Darwin Nunez with Wataru Endo to protect the slim lead, a sensible decision that ensured victory.
Initially, this season was predicted to be a two-horse race between Man City and Arsenal. However, when both unexpectedly stumbled, the opportunity opened up for Liverpool. Although there is still a long way to go, the ability to both play well and win in difficult times has helped the Anfield team have great prospects.
