Everton boss Sean Dyche is set to receive a huge injury boost heading into the Merseyside derby against Liverpool on Wednesday. The Toffees will host the Reds at Goodison Park in what could prove to be a crucial clash in the Premier League title race.

Jürgen Klopp's side got back to winning ways last weekend with a 3-1 win against Fulham at Craven Cottage. Liverpool had previously slipped up against Crystal Palace, as the Eagles secured a 1-0 win at Anfield.

Derby day is now fast approaching and with the club currently sitting level on points with Arsenal at the top of the table, it will be one of the more nerve-racking meetings between the two sides. Liverpool fans will have one eye on the title race, while Everton will attempt to stretch the five-point gap on Luton Town in 18th to avoid relegation.

READ MORE: Arne Slot's playing style and what Liverpool fans can expect from top contender to be next manager

READ MORE: How good is Arne Slot? Feyenoord record assessed for leading next Liverpool manager candidate

Speaking ahead of the game during his press conference, Dyche commented on the fitness of Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin who missed the recent 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest due to an injury. "He’s [Calvert-Lewin] hopeful he’ll be back," he said. "We will wait and see till tomorrow but hopeful on that one."

The England international has five goals and one assist to his name across 22 starts in the top flight of English football this season. His presence in the squad would be a huge boost to Everton ahead of the clash, given the fact Beto will miss the fixture due to a head injury he picked up last weekend and the concussion protocols. Seamus Coleman is also sidelined.

Liverpool has also been ravaged by injury throughout the entire 2023/24 campaign, with Diogo Jota the latest player to pick up a fresh concern. The Portuguese international only returned from a lengthy knee injury on April 11 but is now set to miss an additional two weeks. Long-term absentees Ben Doak, Joël Matip and Thiago Alcântara will also miss the game.

Liverpool.com says: While Calvert-Lewin is not a ruthless goalscorer, he still provides the biggest threat out of all the Everton players. His return against Liverpool should be monitored closely by the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté, though they should be capable of dealing with the former Sheffield United forward.

If Liverpool plays anything close to its best on Wednesday, it will win. But the question is whether the Fulham win was a true turning point during the vital run-in.

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Anthony Taylor was at the centre of a storm on Merseyside last weekend after denying three Nottingham Forest penalty appeals in their defeat to Everton

Anthony Taylor was at the centre of a storm on Merseyside last weekend after denying three Nottingham Forest penalty appeals in their defeat to Everton

Liverpool travel to Everton for a huge Merseyside derby meeting on Wednesday night, with both sides desperate for Premier League points for two hugely different reasons.

Everton vs. Liverpool

Premier League (34) | Goodison Park
April 24, 2024 | 8pm (BST)

The Reds steadied the ship with a 3-1 win at Fulham last Sunday, but they still likely need to win their last five league matches to have a chance of clinching the title.

Everton may be struggling this season and are still not out of the relegation fight, but form can be irrelevant in derbies and the home faithful will be ferocious.

Here’s all you need to know with kickoff approaching.

1. Only victory will do for Liverpool

Some derbies feel even bigger than others, and this is one of them.

Liverpool know that they can go four points clear of Man City with victory, albeit having played two games more, which should act as a major incentive.

While the Fulham win was a welcome one, there are still some doubts regarding the Reds’ form, and this will be a very different test.

Failure to win would surely spell the end of the title dream, but victory would be a big shot in the arm.

2. Who’s injured for Liverpool?

Diogo Jota is out of the midweek action after injuring his hip against Fulham, with Klopp revealing the Portuguese is expected to be sidelined for two weeks.

It is a bitter blow for Liverpool, with the winger arguably their most feared attacker on current form.

Conor Bradley is also absent, having suffered an ankle problem in the 1-0 defeat against Crystal Palace – he’s not due back in training until the start of May.

Joel Matip, Thiago and Ben Doak are all long-term absentees.

3. Everton out to spoil the party

If Liverpool have enjoyed a wild ride in Jurgen Klopp‘s final season, Everton supporters will be desperate for a campaign of misery to come to an end.

The Blues have been affected by two different points deductions, putting them in real danger of relegation, and the takeover of the club still hasn’t gone through.

Sean Dyche’s men picked up a crucial 2-0 win at home to Nottingham Forest on Sunday, however, and they should now have enough to avoid the drop having put five more points on the board than Luton.

Every point still feels invaluable, though, and they would love nothing more than to damage Liverpool’s title chances.

4. Salah & Nunez to return?

With Liverpool’s injury woes easing overall, it is now a case of Klopp picking his strongest possible starting lineup at Goodison Park.

Ibrahima Konate, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez were all left out at the weekend, and could all return.

Joe Gomez is an option in either full-back position, but in-form Trent Alexander-Arnold needs to start, while Cody Gakpo arguably deserves to keep his place.

Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Endo, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez

5. Key Everton absentees

Everton have injuries going into the game, not least to Beto, with the striker unavailable after suffering a horrible head injury in the win over Forest.

Lewis Dobbin, Dele Alli and Nathan Patterson are all absent, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is in doubt but has not been completely ruled out by Dyche, unlike Seamus Coleman who will miss the derby.

Possible Everton XI: Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Onana, Doucoure; Harrison, McNeil, Calvert-Lewin

6. Klopp’s special words on Trent

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Speaking to the press on Tuesday, Klopp heaped praise on Alexander-Arnold, following his free-kick heroics last weekend:

“Fantastic player from the first day, outstanding talent turned into an outstanding world-class footballer.

“It’s pretty rare as a manager to be part of such a journey for a long time. Trent never had a different manager, so it will be good for him to get new influences in the future, that’s definitely clear.

“But he can be quite happy with the steps he has made. What a good player he is – it’s crazy.

[…]

“Nothing bad to say about Trent, he is one of these stories that not a lot of clubs can really write, but he’s one people will talk about 20, 30, 40 years.

“That is really nice for a boy from West Derby, it’s probably the best you can achieve in life.”

7. Liverpool love a Goodison draw – please, not another!

There have been 12 goalless draws in Liverpool’s last 58 Premier League encounters with Everton, while 12 of the last 23 league meetings have finished in a draw.

Meanwhile, nine of the last 11 league derbies at Goodison have finished all-square, with five of the last nine being goalless.

Liverpool have drawn 13 times at Goodison in the Premier League – the most away to a club since 1992, along with Man City.

Frankly, Klopp’s men cannot afford another one this time around!

8. Did you know?

If Liverpool prevail on Wednesday, it will be their 100th win over Everton in all competitions – the Reds will also bring up 150 goals away to the Blues if they score three times.

If Salah scores twice, he will join Steven Gerrard as Liverpool’s top scorer against Everton in the Premier League with nine goals.

Liverpool have now scored in their last 20 top-flight away fixtures, which is the second-longest run in their league history after a 21-game run in the Second Division between February 1955 and February 1956.

9. Andy Madley takes charge

Andy Madley has been confirmed as the referee for Wednesday’s match, in what will be his fifth Liverpool league game of the season.

The first was the 1-1 draw away to Luton, followed by the 2-1 victory at Palace – Luis Diaz and Harvey Elliott scored late goals in those fixtures – before overseeing the 4-0 win over Bournemouth on the south coast.

Madley’s most recent Liverpool outing was the 4-1 win at home to Luton in February.

Meanwhile, David Coote is on VAR, having infamously missed Jordan Pickford’s challenge on Virgil van Dijk back in 2020, and Simon Hooper is the fourth official.

10. Follow the match with TIA

Everton vs. Liverpool is live on Sky Sports Main Event from 7pm (BST), with kickoff at Goodison at 8pm.

Henry Jackson will be nervously keeping you company on TIA’s live blog from 7.15pm, hoping to guide to through a vital win.

Come on you Reds!

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Former Chelsea and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was in attendance for Liverpool's win over Fulham and has recently spoken about the Reds

Former Chelsea and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was in attendance for Liverpool's win over Fulham and has recently spoken about the Reds

This is an updated version of an article first published on May 14, 2023.

In 2020-21, the season before Arne Slot became their manager, Feyenoord finished 29 points behind champions Ajax. They came fifth, the same number of points from the top of the table as they were from the bottom three, with the football under Dick Advocaat very uninspiring.

Two years later, the Rotterdam club were champions, having spent virtually the whole season leading the Eredivisie. It was a remarkable turnaround which prompted a succession of English clubs to seek to secure his services.

Crystal Palace were among them, as were Leeds, who had Slot on their list of possible replacements for Jesse Marsch in February 2023 and held talks with him in the Netherlands. Those discussions did not develop.

Tottenham, meanwhile, thought they had persuaded him to move to north London in May 2023, with Feyenoord apparently resigned to losing him until Slot surprisingly decided to stay put. Spurs turned to Ange Postecoglou instead.

Almost a year on, Slot’s stock has continued to rise. Feyenoord have not been able to defend their Eredivisie title but they have only been denied by a remarkable campaign by PSV, who have lost just once all season. Slot’s side have only been beaten twice in the league — and not at all since December 3 — and won the Dutch Cup last weekend.

Now it has emerged that Slot is a leading contender for the Liverpool job which will be vacated by Jurgen Klopp this summer.

But why is he attracting such interest — and what is his background?

Arne Slot was slow.

As a player, Slot was a perfectly decent midfielder, with the bulk of his appearances coming in the Dutch second tier. He was technically very good, usually playing as an attacking midfielder or No 10 but, in the words of his former team-mate Edwin de Graaf, he was “not so fast”. Slot the coach once said that he would not have picked Slot the player.

This meant he had to rely on others around him to do a lot of the running. “I was a hard worker, he was the more technical player,” says De Graaf, who played alongside him at NAC Breda.

Slot challenges Newcastle’s Nolberto Solano (Photo: Adam Davy/EMPICS via Getty Images)

But his limitations as a player have helped him become the coach he is today because they enhanced his appreciation of how to make a team function as a cohesive unit. He was living proof that one player cannot do his job unless a colleague is doing theirs.

He was always going to be a coach, moving from the playing squad to the coaching staff at PEC Zwolle immediately after his retirement.

“Some players you can see are going to be coaches,” says De Graaf. “I also played with Alfred Schreuder (the former Ajax manager) and both him and Slot… nobody is surprised now they’re both coaches.

“He would ask the coach why they were using certain tactics. And in the dressing room, he would talk to the group about (for example) a way of pressing or defending. He would ask: ‘Why were we doing it this way? Would it be better to do it this way?’. He would make suggestions to his coaches.

“But he would do it in such a good way. He wouldn’t do it with an attitude: he would ask the coach: ‘What do you think about this?’. He would also very quickly see what the opponents were doing.”

Slot is carried off by his PEC Zwolle team-mates (Photo: VI Images via Getty Images)

“At that time, he was already looking in an analytical way,” Henk ten Cate, who brought Slot to Breda, told Voetbal International in 2022. “He was busy with tactics and asked questions at training.”

It is worth noting this was not when Slot was in the twilight of his career and was worrying about what would come next. Slot and Ten Cate worked together in 2002-03 when Slot was 24. He was one of those players who used his time on the pitch as an extended apprenticeship for when he moved to the touchline.

Slot hung up his boots in 2013 after playing for PEC Zwolle and immediately joined the club’s youth academy as a coach.

He then spent three years as a coach at Cambuur, who had just been promoted to the Eredivisie, after which he moved to AZ Alkmaar to be assistant to manager John van den Brom, still only 39 when he took that job. “We always searched for young, new coaches,” says Van den Brom. “He was an interesting coach because he wanted to develop.”

It was during these years Slot clarified what sort of football he wanted to play, helped by a series of formative relationships with other coaches.

At AZ, there was Van den Brom and Pascal Jansen (who managed AZ for four years), while at Cambuur he worked closely with Marcel Keizer, who would go on to manage Ajax and Sporting Lisbon. He also shared ideas with Pep Ljinders, now Klopp’s assistant at Liverpool, and, with a group of other coaches, created a bespoke player database. At the time, the data resources available to them were far from adequate, so they built their own.

“What was nice for me is that he always thought in an attacking way,” says Van den Brom, before mentioning something that comes up time and again whenever you speak to someone about Slot.

“(His focus was) how can we make it clear to the players how we want to play? We were always searching for different ideas.”

Van den Brom consults with Slot on the AZ bench (Photo: Ed van de Pol/Soccrates/Getty Images)

It is fine for a coach to have ideas, but they have to be clearly transmitted to the players. Slot’s biggest quality and one he places significant emphasis on — he believes only 60 per cent is the idea and 40 per cent is how clearly you explain it — is his ability to communicate. His ideas are projected onto the pitch because his thoughts are clear and his words are carefully chosen.

So what are those ideas?

“They’re very attacking, very aggressive, with a lot of pressing,” says Martijn Krabbendam, a journalist for Voetbal International who has covered Slot’s Feyenoord. “High intensity, a lot of energy, and they can only do that if they’re very fit.

“He always wants to play attacking football, he always wants possession, he always wants a good set-up from the goalkeeper to find free space and free players in the midfield. It’s no secret he is crazy about Guardiola — he’s an example.”

Van den Brom adds: “We used a lot of videos of Manchester City and Bayern — he was crazy about Pep. How his teams create space, how they attack.”

Guardiola is the name that keeps coming up, but Slot also takes inspiration from a variety of other coaches: Marcelo Bielsa, Jorge Sampaoli, Jurgen Klopp, Luciano Spaletti, Mikel Arteta. All have their own ideas, so does he, but one thing they all have in common is their intensity.

Before he became Breda coach, De Graaf spent a week with Slot at Feyenoord, observing how he works. “Every session is with high intensity,” he says. “Every workout, passing drill, or five vs five — everything is with high intention and everything is with an idea. Every player knows exactly what he wants from them. He’s good at making clear why he’s doing certain exercises.

“He’s as honest as possible, so the players really like him.”

Slot believes his teams have to be intense because it essentially gives them two ways to win: if the quality of their play is lower than that of their opponents or they are having an off day, they can win by outrunning and outworking whoever they are playing.

There is also a recognition of, and mitigation against, the fitness concerns that come with such an intense style of not just playing, but training. He works closely with his data and fitness teams: when they tell him a player’s numbers are dropping or they are in the ‘red zone’, he will ease off.

Transitions are quick and passing is certain. Slot likes to work with younger players who are keen to learn. “If you have a young group, then, as a trainer, you can take the boys through videos in your desired playing style,” he said a few years ago.

For example, when Tyrell Malacia left Feyenoord in 2022 for Manchester United, he chose to replace him at left-back with the 20-year-old youth team product Quilindschy Hartman. When he needed a central midfielder, he took 22-year-old Mats Wieffer from Excelsior Rotterdam in the Dutch second tier. Both were subsequently called up to the Dutch national team. Most of the key players in Feyenoord’s title-winning season were aged 24 and under.

Hartman was promoted by Slot (Claudio Pasquazi/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

His focus is on the collective. He believes the team makes the individual look good.

Most of all, the priority is on entertaining football. The goal is not to win at any cost, but to provide exciting, as well as winning, football. Voetbal International wrote: “He believes that special football is more remembered than a prize with boring, uninspiring football.”

Players seem to adore Slot.

Oussama Idrissi, who played a key part in Slot’s teams at both AZ and Feyenoord, was asked last year by the Dutch newspaper AD where Slot ranks in the coaches he has played under. “For me, he’s the best,” said the Moroccan winger. “He can develop players and make teams play fun football.”

When it was pointed out that he has also played under Julen Lopetegui, Herve Renard and a guy called Erik ten Hag, Idrissi reiterated: “Slot was the best.”

You will not struggle to find other players with similarly effusive things to say about him. “He is one of the best managers I’ve ever seen,” said Alireza Jahanbakhsh, the Iranian forward currently playing under Slot at Feyenoord. “In football terms, even the best. At the moment, he is the best in the Netherlands.”

Reiss Nelson spent the 2021-22 season on loan at Feyenoord, becoming a regular in the second half of the campaign. “Arne Slot is a great manager,” he told the Colney Carpool podcast. “He really got me into my rhythm. He gave me a lot of opportunities to play and I excelled.”

“It’s a shame,” said Myron Boadu, shortly after Slot left AZ. “Arne is a fantastic person and a fantastic trainer who really let us play football in the style of Manchester City or Barcelona in the good times.”

“He’s as honest as possible, so the players really like him,” says De Graaf.

Nelson enjoyed life under Feyenoord (Pim Waslander/Soccrates/Getty Images)

Slot has not gained the backing of these players just by being straightforward, though. The players like him because they win under him. But, perhaps more than that, they follow him because most of the things he tells them come true.

“Before playing Marseille (in the Europa Conference League semi-finals in 2022), during training he told his midfielders to play long balls out to the wingers, over the top,” explains Krabbendam. “(Orkun) Kokcu, the midfielder, was so tired of it — he asked: ‘Why do we have to keep playing these long balls?’. Slot said he would explain later.

“In 20 minutes, Feyenoord were up 2-0 and both goals came from long balls behind the Marseille defence. He knew that was a weakness of Marseille. If you speak to the Feyenoord players — and it doesn’t matter which players — they will tell you that whatever this coach says, it happens. It’s remarkable. They have blind confidence in him because what he says comes true.”

He is no hardliner or a particular disciplinarian. He emphasises positivity. When his video analysts put selections of clips together for players to watch, allowing them to scrutinise their own performances, he asks that most of them are positive. In particular, the last one is always positive so the players leave their session feeling good about themselves.

Arguably, the player who most benefitted from Slot’s tenure at Feyenoord was Kokcu, who came through the ranks at Feyenoord.

Kokcu (centre) excelled under Arne Slot (ANP via Getty Images)

Previously regarded as a talented but slightly insubstantial No 10, Kokcu came back from Euro 2020 with Turkey to find things had changed. No longer would he be able to create and let his team-mates do his running for him.

After Slot’s first competitive game in charge, a Europa Conference League game against Kosovan side SF Drita, the new coach sat down next to Kokcu on the flight home and explained that he needed more from him. More running, more pressing, more chasing back. And it worked.

Even after only a few weeks of working together, Slot convinced Kokcu that he had to significantly improve physically.

Kokcu is close friends with Malacia (the two came through the Feyenoord youth team together) and had observed the defender’s physical development since he started working with a physical trainer in Rotterdam. Kokcu went to the same trainer and, within weeks, had become the worker Slot demanded.

“If you see him now, he’s a modern midfield player,” says Krabbendam.

To illustrate this point, take a look at this touch chart for Kokcu in Feyenoord’s Europa League quarter-final first-leg victory over Roma in April 2023. The concentration is in the middle, but there are very few areas of the pitch he did not cover.

The disruption to football caused by COVID-19 produced many ‘what ifs’, but there cannot be many bigger than for Slot.

In his first season as AZ head coach, they had already beaten Feyenoord and PSV 3-0 and 4-0 away respectively before a 2-0 win at Ajax in March 2020 put them level on points at the top of the Eredivisie with the Amsterdam giants. There were still nine games remaining but AZ had the momentum.

The following week, the season was suspended as the pandemic took hold. The campaign was ultimately cancelled completely in April and the chance to win just the third title in AZ’s history was scuppered.

They started the following season in similar style, going undefeated until the start of December. Then it all ended quite abruptly.

Feyenoord announced that veteran manager Advocaat would be leaving at the end of that campaign. Slot was the obvious replacement but, a few days later, the AZ board got wind of talks between Slot and the Rotterdam club and promptly sacked him. He was clearly ready for a step up, but it was far from the way he wanted to leave the club.

“You always want to leave by the front door,” says Van den Brom. “So it wasn’t good for Arne and it wasn’t good for the club.”

He spent the intervening months playing golf and planning for the move.

It worked. The improvement in Feyenoord’s football — and results — was almost instant, moving from a distant fifth to a closer third, scoring more goals, conceding fewer and winning more games. They also reached the Europa Conference League final, where they lost to Roma. Slot won the Rinus Michels award for best coach in the Eredivisie.

If you want to quantify Feyenoord’s improvement under Slot, consider FiveThirtyEight’s Soccer Power Index, which uses underlying metrics to calculate a team’s attacking and defensive strength. Slot’s arrival at the club coincided with a steady rise up the rankings, peaking on a score of 76.6, the 21st-highest in world football. Not bad for an Eredivisie club.

But here is perhaps the most compelling evidence that Slot has something.

In the summer after that first season, his Feyenoord team was gutted. Top scorer Luis Sinisterra was sold to Leeds. Malacia went to United. Marcos Senesi to Bournemouth. Nelson’s loan spell ended and he returned to Arsenal. Midfielder Fredrik Aursnes joined Benfica. Guus Til (on loan at Feyenoord from Spartak Moscow) moved to PSV. All four players who had chalked up double-figure goal tallies the previous season had left.

And yet, Feyenoord improved. Kokcu and a few others stayed, but in came Santiago Gimenez, who has gone on to be their top scorer. Slovakian defender David Hancko arrived from Sparta Prague and excelled. Idrissi, who starred for Slot at AZ, was rescued from Sevilla on loan. Wieffer and Hartman were essentially plucked from nowhere and are now full internationals.

Slot advises Gimenez (ANP via Getty Images)

They took top spot in the Eredvisie just before the World Cup break and did not relinquish it.

PSV may have deposed them this season but there is no sense that there has been a significant drop-off in performances: Feyenoord could yet surpass their league-winning points tally from last season of 82.

Slot is revered for winning just Feyenoord’s second Eredivisie title since the turn of the century, and he now has Champions League experience — albeit he was unable to lead the club out of the group stage, despite beating Lazio and Celtic.

Liverpool’s interest is understandable. Any club that wants a young, forward-thinking coach who prioritises fast, intense, attacking football would be foolish not to take a look.

(Top photo: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images))

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The Dutchman - a 'slow' player - has been fast-tracked Feyenoord to success and is now interesting Anfield's hierarchy

Liverpool have suffered an untimely Diogo Jota injury blow ahead of Everton away on Wednesday, with plenty of significant manager news also doing the rounds.

Liverpool hit with Jota injury blow

Just when we thought the Reds’ fitness woes were a thing of the past, Jota has picked up a knock and is out of the Merseyside derby.

The Portuguese suffered a hip injury in the 3-1 win away to Fulham on Sunday, where he completed the scoring, and he will now be out for around two weeks.

“Diogo scored the goal, felt a little bit and now we found out it’s a little bit more,” Klopp said.

Jota joins Conor Bradley on the sidelines, with Joel Matip, Thiago and Ben Doak all unlikely to play again this season, too.

Imagine where Liverpool would be without the injuries this season!

Latest on LFC manager search

• Feyenoord manager Arne Slot is a strong contender to be Jurgen Klopp‘s successor at Anfield this summer – but an appointment is far from a foregone conclusion!

• Gary O’Neil is NOT in the running for the Liverpool job, This Is Anfield understands. This is contrary to nonsense online rumours regarding the Wolves boss!

• Jose Mourinho has already remarked about the new Liverpool manager shortlist – you didn’t really think he was coming to Anfield, did you?

• Ruben Amorim flew to the UK for manager talks on Monday – but they weren’t with Liverpool!

4 things today: West Ham referee & new kit deal

• Anthony Taylor will referee Liverpool’s trip to West Ham on Saturday, with Tim Robinson on VAR. That’s Manchester-born Anthony Taylor!

• Liverpool are set to swap Nike for Adidas in a HUGE kit deal this summer – it would feel like the 1980s and 1990s all over again! Take our money now!

• Stefan Bajcetic has made his first start in seven months, featuring for the under-21s in a defeat. Building to be a reliable player next season, hopefully!

• Liverpool lineup vs. Everton – Klopp’s Nunez dilemma and another 5 changes? Here’s our lineup predictions for the derby, agree?

Other chat from elsewhere

• Erik ten Hag has labelled the media a “disgrace” for criticising his Man United side’s performance against Coventry on Sunday. The man has lost the plot! (BBC Sport)

• Nottingham Forest will be given the chance to privately hear the VAR audio against Everton – they were understandably fuming at some of the decisions on Sunday! (Sky Sports)

• Unai Emery has extended his stay at Aston Villa until 2027, which is massive news for them. He won’t be coming to Liverpool then (BBC Sport)

Video of the day and match of the night

Klopp was on press conference duty at lunchtime, previewing Everton, discussing Jota’s injury and lauding the brilliance of Trent:

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Match of the night is Arsenal vs. Chelsea (8pm BST), as Liverpool desperately hope for an away win at the Emirates – but we’ll take any form of dropped points.

Dare we say, come on you Blues…

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EXCLUSIVE: Liverpool legend Didi Hamann has had his say on his former club's ongoing search for a successor for Jurgen Klopp

EXCLUSIVE: Liverpool legend Didi Hamann has had his say on his former club's ongoing search for a successor for Jurgen Klopp

Feyenoord head coach Arne Slot has emerged as a leading candidate in the search for Jurgen Klopp’s successor at Liverpool.

The Dutchman is on the shortlist having satisfied many of the relevant criteria set during the club’s recruitment process.

Slot led Feyenoord to the KNVB Cup last weekend and previously masterminded their Eredivisie title triumph in 2022-23.

GO DEEPER

Arne Slot - a champion with Feyenoord and a manager coveted by the Premier League

The 45-year-old’s attacking brand of football appeals to Liverpool, along with his impressive track record of developing young talent.

However, his appointment is not a done deal with Liverpool continuing to assess the merits of other candidates.

Slot, who turned down Tottenham Hotspur last year, is attracting interest from a number of other top European clubs and Feyenoord remain keen to retain his services.

His current contract runs until 2026 and there is no release clause.

Liverpool’s search for Klopp’s replacement started last November after he informed the owners that he intended to stand down at the end of the season. Klopp subsequently made his decision public in January.

The process is being led by Fenway Sports Group’s CEO of football Michael Edwards, alongside new sporting director Richard Hughes.

GO DEEPER

Access all areas at Arne Slot's Feyenoord: Kickboxing, Beckham clips and why he stayed

(Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images)

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Feyenoord boss Arne Slot has emerged as a strong contender to replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager.

The 45-year-old features highly on the Reds’ shortlist, though This Is Anfield understands any appointment is far from a foregone conclusion.

That is because of interest from Barcelona and Bayern Munich, who will also be seeking new head coaches this summer.

However, Liverpool believe Slot fills the criteria set during the process to identify a manager to take on the task of replacing Klopp.

• READ: Who is Arne Slot? The new named linked as next Liverpool manager

The Dutchman has succeeded on a modest budget at Feyenoord, winning the Eredivisie and KNVB Cup during his time in charge, as well as reaching the Europa Conference League final.

Those achievements had led to interest from Tottenham, whose advances were rejected last summer before they ultimately turned to Ange Postecoglou.

Chelsea had also previously considered Slot as a potential managerial appointment.

High-intensity attacking football

Slot’s playing career was spent entirely in the Netherlands and largely with PEC Zwolle and NEC Breda, while he moved into management with AZ Alkmaar in 2019.

After a season-and-a-half in charge, he left to make the switch to Feyenoord, who he led to the Eredivisie title in his second campaign in 2022/23.

Feyenoord are yet to finish out of the top three under Slot, and this season are challenging PSV Eindhoven for top spot having already lifted the KNVB Cup at the weekend.

A relatively young manager, Slot typically employs a 4-2-3-1 formation which is built on a high-intensity style, while his man-management skills have been widely praised.

MORE: Who is Arne Slot? Quick guide to the Dutch coach

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Arne Slot is at the forefront of Liverpool's search for a replacement for Jurgen Klopp.

The Feyenoord head coach ticks all their key criteria for the position, although Sky Sports News understands the process is not a foregone conclusion, with the Eredivisie club determined to keep Slot.

There is also interest from other top clubs and Liverpool are still in dialogue with several options, but the 45-year-old is a strong candidate.

Slot, who secured the KNVB Cup last weekend and led Feyenoord to their first title in six years last season, appeals to Liverpool due to his aggressive, full-throttle style.

He has drilled his team to be adept at turning defensive actions into shooting opportunities and they top the Eredivisie for tackles won in the opposition's final third.

Feyenoord have the best defence in the league and the second-best offensive metrics.

Slot has proved capable of improving individuals as well as the collective, while operating on a smaller budget than his core competitors, and his penchant for a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-3 formation fits Liverpool's squad.

Slot has previously been approached by Tottenham, Chelsea and Leeds. He signed a new contract last May to keep him at Feyenoord until 2026 but has referenced a desire to make the next step in his career.

Compensation is anticipated to be in the region of £9m if a deal is to be closed.

Sporting manager Ruben Amorim was under consideration by Liverpool but sources say he is no longer in the frame, as it stands.

West Ham are interested in Amorim but Julen Lopetegui, the former Wolves, Real Madrid and Spain boss, and Paulo Fonseca, currently in charge of Lille, are considered the frontrunners.

'He has all the hallmarks of Johan Cruyff'

Slot took over from Dick Advocaat at Feyenoord for the start of the 21/22 season with the club finishing fifth the previous season. Just two years later, they were champions of the Eredivisie. He built a team with the key combination of playing intense, attack-minded football that presses whilst also being able to win.

Feyenoord look set to fail to defend their crown this season as they are second behind PSV Eindhoven, nine points adrift with four games to play. In Europe they finished third in their Champions League group before dropping into the Europa League where they were knocked out by Roma on penalties in February.

Speaking to Sky Sports in May 2023, Dutch football journalist Marcel van der Kraan said: "He's a really good manager. I've followed Feyenoord for 40 years. Not since the days of Johan Cruyff at Ajax in the 1980s has there been a coach so attack-minded in the Dutch league. Cruyff only had a few disciples who followed him and one of them was Pep Guardiola.

"I would say Slot is a Guardiola-style manager based on everything I've seen over the past couple of years. The fans of Feyenoord can't believe what they've seen over that time."

What has Slot said about managing in Premier League?

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Feyenoord head coach Slot revealed his admiration for the Premier League last May when he was previously linked with a job at Tottenham

Last summer, Slot was one of the leading contenders for the then-vacant Tottenham manager's role and Sky Sports News reporter Gary Cotterill went to Rotterdam to cover the story.

Cotterill found Slot to be "engaging, polite, very smiley, he's got presence and charisma - and he's funny" when writing about his trip to get the lowdown on the Feyenoord boss, who has been open about his desire to manage in the Premier League.

"My next step will not be a club in Holland," he said in May 2023.

"If that is my next step, then I've failed completely. The normal next step will be to go abroad and I've always said the best league in the world is the Premier League."

What happened with Tottenham's approach for Slot?

Spurs were determined to get Slot last summer after he secured the Eredivisie title with Feyenoord.

However, Slot ruled himself out of the running to take over in north London before signing a new contract at Feyenoord a few days later which runs until 2026.

"I'm not done here yet," Slot said after the announcement of his new deal.

Image: Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy was keen on securing Arnie Slot last summer

The potential deal with Spurs never got to any formal stage of discussions with him or Feyenoord and Spurs' bosses felt that Slot used their interest in him to get an improved contract in the Netherlands.

Ange Postecoglou was eventually appointed by Spurs from Celtic.

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Wolves boss Gary O’Neil is not under consideration to be the next Liverpool manager.

It had been reported on Tuesday that the former Portsmouth and Middlesbrough midfielder had been interviewed by the Reds as part of their search for a successor to Jurgen Klopp.

However, This Is Anfield understands that those suggestions are wide of the mark and that O’Neil won’t be in the running.

The 40-year-old has ties to both FSG CEO of Football Michael Edwards and Liverpool’s new Sporting Director Richard Hughes after all three met at Portsmouth.

But having managed at Premier League level for just two seasons, O’Neil always looked an unlikely candidate for the Anfield job.

He was, in fact, dismissed from his role at Bournemouth just over a year ago by Hughes, who was then technical director at the south-coast club.

The Cherries opted to go down a different route in appointing Andoni Iraola, and the Spaniard has subsequently enjoyed an impressive debut campaign.

O’Neil has since continued to bolster his reputation at Wolves, but remains in the early stages of his managerial career.

Who is in the running?

Feyenoord manager Arne Slot has emerged as the frontrunner according to the bookmakers at least, while other names still considered on the table include Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi, Thomas Tuchel and Thiago Motta.

UPDATE: Feyenoord boss Arne Slot now strong contender for new Liverpool manager

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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp expects Diogo Jota to be sidelined for two weeks after suffering another injury setback.

The Portugal international only returned to action earlier this month following knee ligament damage but complained of discomfort in his hip after scoring in Sunday’s 3-1 win at Fulham.

Jota’s injury a blow to Liverpool’s Premier League title challenge with the 27-year-old likely unavailable for Wednesday’s Merseyside derby at Goodison, Saturday’s trip to West Ham United and the home clash with Tottenham Hotspur on May 5.

“Diogo scored the goal, felt a little bit and now we found out it’s a little bit more so he will be out for two weeks,” Klopp said.

“Before which game where he didn’t start (Atalanta away), he got a knock – normal challenge, then felt a little bit at the hip. That was then fine because we didn’t start him, brought him on, that was alright.

“Then he started the last game, was obviously okay and then with the finish….. It’s a small one but we are late in the season so obviously now it’s not a great moment for each injury pretty much.

“When I say two weeks, actually it’s pretty much nothing, but enough to not be available.”

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With Liverpool trailing leaders Arsenal on goal difference and a point ahead of third-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand, the final Merseyside derby of Klopp’s reign is crucial in the context of the title race.

Jota’s absence is set to lead to Darwin Nunez earning a recall after being on the bench for the past two matches.

“It’s super important for us — that’s clear,” Klopp added.

“Goodison Park can create quite a good atmosphere. If you play Liverpool, it’s about more than just three points – that’s how everyone sees it there. We will never get underestimated when we arrive there.

“I am very positive. This last part of the season is not about playing the freshest football of the whole year. That would be strange with how the schedule works out. But you have to win games and I think we know how to do that. We have to overcome each opponent in a specific way.”

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(Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

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It took less than three minutes of Liverpool's win over Fulham on Sunday for Trent Alexander-Arnold to demonstrate the unique qualities that make him so important to Jurgen Klopp's side.

After 90 seconds, a searching pass from deep in his own half which almost put Luis Diaz in behind. Soon after that, another which found him in space to attack on the right. Then, at the other end, an inch-perfect cross from which the Colombian should have scored.

Alexander-Arnold's most memorable contribution was of course the stunning free-kick which later broke the deadlock at Craven Cottage.

But, on his first Premier League start since February following a knee injury, that brilliant opening goal was just one facet of a performance which showed the transformative potential of his return.

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Jamie Carragher believes Trent Alexander-Arnold is a unique player and feels he plays like Kevin De Bruyne at right-back

"It's super important," Klopp said of the 24-year-old's comeback afterwards. "One of the shooting stars of this season is Conor Bradley, who played the position and played in a few games where we all thought, 'Oh wow. What was that?' But nobody is like Trent.

"Nobody is like Trent."

Certainly, there is nobody capable of replicating his interpretation of the right-back role in this team. The sight of Alexander-Arnold popping up in midfield is nothing new. It was something, though, to see the sheer variety of positions he took up against Fulham.

Consider those early passes aimed towards Diaz.

The first came from the right-hand side of Liverpool's back three in possession, with left-back Andrew Robertson pushed forward on the opposite flank. Nothing too unusual there.

Image: Alexander-Arnold's first pass for Luis Diaz came from the right of Liverpool's back three

The second, though, was delivered from the centre of the back three, having swapped positions with right-sided centre-back Jarell Quansah to assume a role akin to that of a quarterback.

Image: Alexander-Arnold's second pass for Diaz came from the centre of Liverpool's defence

This interchanging of positions with Quansah in possession became a feature of Liverpool's performance on the day, the aim being to maximise Alexander-Arnold's influence.

Image: Another example of Alexander-Arnold building the play in the quarterback role

It worked. Alexander-Arnold had more time on the ball and a broader range of options to aim at. According to Opta's advanced metrics, he was involved in more open-play passing sequences than anyone else on the pitch despite missing the last 10 minutes plus stoppage time.

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"The manager has told me to get into that position to try to get on the ball and find those passes over the top," Alexander-Arnold explained to Sky Sports afterwards.

But it was not just about playing long passes. At other times, he played short instead. In the example below, in the 16th minute, he threads a clever disguised pass through to Diaz, who has also drifted inside, allowing Liverpool to attack through the centre.

Image: Alexander-Arnold shapes to pass to his right but instead feeds Diaz ahead of him

And yet, despite often operating from this new position at the base of the team, Alexander-Arnold still found time to roam into midfield, where he helped to sustain pressure, and towards the right side, from where he created that glorious early chance for Diaz.

Image: Alexander-Arnold's diagonal cross for Diaz provided a glorious early chance

"I've described him in the past as being like Kevin De Bruyne at right-back," said Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher afterwards. "I'm looking at him today thinking he's got a free role.

"I think there are a lot of full-backs playing the role where they are going into midfield. They go there to get on the ball, they are trying to stop counter-attacks. But this feels a little bit like he can go between the centre-backs, he can go into midfield, he can go wide.

"He can basically go wherever the space is because he has got such quality on the ball."

That quality on the ball was particularly helpful straight after half-time against Fulham, when the hosts were seeking to build on Timothy Castagne's equaliser in first-half stoppage time.

Liverpool needed cool-headedness to tilt the momentum back in their favour following that sucker-punch and it was noticeable how they looked to Alexander-Arnold to supply it.

Indeed, nearly a quarter of his 74 attempted passes came in the eight-minute period between the start of the second half and Ryan Gravenberch scoring Liverpool's second.

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Watch free highlights from Liverpool's win against Fulham

Among them were a stunning switch of play to find Robertson, a nonchalant lay-off for Diaz using his chest, and a slide-rule pass through the lines to release Gravenberch.

His confidence and composure on the ball put the team at ease at a crucial point of the game, while also maintaining their attacking impetus and ensuring Fulham were forced onto the back foot.

The goal, when it came, owed a lot to Gravenberch's individual quality but it was thanks to Alexander-Arnold that Liverpool were able to navigate that potentially stormy period and it was thanks to him, too, that they had gone in front in the first place.

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His free-kick, lifted into the top corner in sublime style, was another example of what Liverpool lacked without him. When finishing simple chances becomes an issue, as it had for Klopp's side recently, you need someone who can convert the difficult ones.

The goal was his sixth from a direct free-kick in the Premier League, putting him behind only Jamie Redknapp and Steven Gerrard among Liverpool players. It also took him to 100 goal involvements for the club, an extraordinary tally for a right-back of only 24 years old.

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Alexander-Arnold says Liverpool will treat each of their remaining five games of the season as a final

But then, his performance against Fulham was a reminder that he is so much more than a right-back. Liverpool will need his control and quality again in the bear pit of Goodison Park, live on Sky Sports on Wednesday, and in the games remaining after that.

But their title hopes already look brighter now that he is back. It took him less than three minutes against Fulham to show why.

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