Liverpool will emerge battered and bruised from this season - but with clear reason for optimism
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Liverpool's backslide is undeniable, but the calm backdrop to the final weeks of the season means there is a feeling of confidence heading into the summer and beyondAfter a tough season, there is suddenly a sense of optimism around Liverpool Liverpool fans streamed out of a sun-kissed Anfield stadium on Saturday feeling content after witnessing a commanding display from their side. Suddenly, everything feels under control.Victory over Manchester United this weekend may well secure a top-five place, an achievement in itself given how toxic this season has often felt.
Admittedly, no-one inside Liverpool is happy with that regression - the public comments from Arne Slot and Virgil van Dijk are testament to that.READ MORE: Florian Wirtz outlines what Liverpool must do to address $169M issueREAD MORE: Virgil van Dijk issues Mohamed Salah send-off message as Liverpool waits for injury updateBut the message is clear: This season must be an aberration; the Reds need to challenge at the top again next term.And for all the accusations leveled against Slot, it should not be forgotten that his predecessor, worshipped as he is on Merseyside, was unable to address the Reds’ backslide when they last won the title.A year on from being crowned champions, Jurgen Klopp’s injury-plagued side slipped to third. At the very least, he has not allowed standards to drop to unacceptable levels.It's been a difficult season for Arne Slot(Image: Photo by Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images)The real measure of his elite managerial credentials will come next term.
The majority of Slot’s squad is expected to remain, and that continuity could prove vital in the early months of next season.Last summer’s hard work could bear fruit this year.Last summer's recruitment could bear fruit this yearThat Slot’s position seems settled, and a top-five position could be guaranteed this weekend, which feeds into a wider sense that Liverpool now appears a relatively settled ship.Ironically, that’s in contrast to the uncertainty with which the title-winning squad approached last summer. But at the end of this arduous campaign, the club is unquestionably gripped by a greater sense of calm.The Reds have emerged a little battered and bruised, but looking forward with optimism.There’s no guarantee that this all ends well, but having assembled a talented squad that may require little summer surgery and a title-winning coach at the helm, there is no reason to believe the good times can’t return soon.