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Our Liverpool writers pick their preferred XIs for the Merseyside derby against Everton in the Premier League on Wednesday

Our Liverpool writers pick their preferred XIs for the Merseyside derby against Everton in the Premier League on Wednesday

The design is inspired by the patterns of vintage football kits from Liverpool FC and Everton FC

The design is inspired by the patterns of vintage football kits from Liverpool FC and Everton FC

Liverpool are understood to have opened negotiations over Feyenoord manager Arne Slot and a European football expert has given his verdict on how Slot would fit in at Anfield

Liverpool are understood to have opened negotiations over Feyenoord manager Arne Slot and a European football expert has given his verdict on how Slot would fit in at Anfield

With Liverpool looking to appoint Feyenoord boss Arne Slot as the new Liverpool manager, plenty of fans have been asking how you pronounce the Dutchman’s name?

Slot is from eastern Holland and has spent his whole career in the Netherlands so far. With Liverpool approaching the 45-year-old to take over, many are wanting to pronounce his name properly.

In his native Dutch, Arne Slot is pronounced ‘Arn-uh Slot’.

Think about how you would say ex-Liverpool an Norway international John Arne Riise’s name. Arne is pronounced in the same way.

Though Slot is generally just said in the same way in English and Dutch, there are regional variations that you might hear that vary the sound.

Slot’s career

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PA Media outlined how he has reached the top of Dutch football…

Former midfielder Slot, 45, spent his playing career in the Netherlands with Zwolle, Sparta Rotterdam and Breda.

After moving into coaching roles at Cambuur and then AZ Alkmaar, Slot stepped up into the manager’s job with the latter for the 2019–20 season, which was interrupted by the Covid pandemic. AZ finished second behind Ajax on goal difference in the shortened campaign.

Slot left for Feyenoord in December 2020, succeeding Dick Advocaat, and brought former Arsenal and Manchester United forward Robin van Persie onto his staff.

In May 2022, Feyenoord reached the first Europa Conference League final, losing to Roma, and finished third in the Eredivisie.

Slot’s second season at De Kuip saw Feyenoord win the Eredivisie title – the first for the club since 2017. Earlier this month, Feyenoord beat NEC Nijmegen to lift the 2024 KNVB Cup.

Slot in Europe

No matter who eventually takes over as Liverpool’s new manager, they will be expected to be able to deliver more memorable European nights at Anfield.

Slot would bring plenty of that experience with him. While at AZ, Slot took his side into the Europa League – where they played Manchester United in 2019. After moving to Feyenoord, Slot guided the club to the Europa Conference League final in May 2022.

Eredivisie success brought with it a crack at the Champions League for 2023–24. Despite beating Celtic and Lazio in their group, the Dutch side did not qualify for the knockout stage and then lost out to Roma in the Europa League play-off round.

Attacking style of play

Slot has grown into an attack-minded coach, also with an eye on bringing through talent – plenty of which would await in Liverpool’s youth ranks.

Feyenoord – who sit second behind Eredivisie rivals PSV Eindhoven this season – also press high, winning plenty of tackles in the opposition’s final third, and are comfortable in different formations, whether that is with one up top or a fluid 4-3-3.

Slot was linked with a switch to Tottenham last summer, but the Liverpool job is expected to prove too good an opportunity for the ambitious Dutch coach to pass up.

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With Arne Slot now favourite to replace Jurgen Klopp as the new Liverpool FC manager, we looked at the four key criteria used by the Reds to find the next boss.

Arne Slot has become the latest figure to be linked to the Liverpool job, with widespread reports that Liverpool have opened talks with his current club, Feyenoord, to agree a compensation fee.

Slot, 45, along with the others touted for the role, all have certain skills in common.

Pieter Zwart, who is editor-in-chief at Dutch football magazine Voetbal International, wrote about Liverpool looking for four characteristics in particular, and we looked at how Slot fits in to those.

1. Able to work on a budget and develop players

As Liverpool continue to compete against state-funded clubs like Man City and Newcastle, being able to elevate a team through good coaching is a vital skill the new manager must have.

During his time at Feyenoord, he has actually had a positive net spend, with the club often utilising loans, meaning Slot has to work with a large turnover of players.

Against PSV and Ajax who have bigger budgets, he won last season’s Eredivisie title and recently won this year’s Dutch Cup.

As AZ Alkmaar manager, on an even smaller budget, he had a potential league title taken away when the 2019/20 season was curtailed due to coronavirus while his team were joint-top with Ajax.

In the title-winning Feyenoord squad, key defender David Hancko was signed for just €8.3 million, midfielder Mats Wieffer for €575,000, and striker Santiago Gimenez cost just €6 million.

2. Playing style

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Slot tends to play a 4-2-3-1 but doesn’t stick to the formation religiously.

His style was described to the i as “high-energy attacking football in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 with two deep-lying midfielders and a reliance on wingers to create chances.”

As per the Coaches Voice, Slot doesn’t “overcommit to the high press,” with his teams “comfortable dropping into a more reserved block” if the opportunity to win the ball back is not there.

This varies slightly from Klopp who rarely sees his team sit deep to soak up pressure.

In 2022, Slot told UEFA: “When we don’t have the ball, we want to win it back as quickly as possible by being aggressive and pressing to win back possession. I think we are a team that is difficult to beat.”

Sounds familiar!

3. Using the current squad

Something that may have edged Liverpool in the direction of Slot over Ruben Amorim, is the fact that the Portuguese manager would potentially have to act more in the transfer market to ensure the squad suits his three-at-the-back system.

While Xabi Alonso and Amorim have similar attacking principles to Klopp, Slot sticking with a definite four in defence allows for a smoother transition.

Like Klopp, Slot also likes to use an inverted right-back and a wider left back, which would suit Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold well.

4. Character and personality

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Liverpool managers need to be good communicators and have a strong relationship with supporters. Also, modern football often requires managers to be sympathetic towards their players, a trait Slot shares with Klopp.

“He can be angry with his players, of course,” Dennis van Eersel, of Dutch national TV channel RTV, explained. “But he also puts his arm around them. They like him because he’s built a harmony at the club.”

The Dutchman, unsurprisingly, already has a good grasp of English and appears to be charismatic, open and at times humorous to the media and supporters.

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Four points and games in hand divide title-tussling Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City - but what are the clubs' chances of claiming the crown?

Arsenal extended their lead at the Premier League summit with an emphatic 5-0 win over Chelsea on Tuesday, having reclaimed top spot with a 2-0 win over Wolves at the weekend.

Liverpool, who have one game in hand over Arsenal, beat Fulham 3-1 on Sunday to keep pace, while City, who have two games in hand over the Gunners, thrashed Luton 5-1 last time out.

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the Premier League clash between Arsenal and Chelsea.

Pep Guardiola's juggernauts, therefore, have the title in their hands: six successive wins would guarantee an unprecedented, fourth consecutive league title. However, one wayward result could flip fortunes.

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Liverpool's win against Fulham in the Premier League.

The top three have been tussling since Christmas after Spurs and Aston Villa dropped out of the top three. You can hit play on the interactive table below to see how the table has changed throughout the campaign.

If things do go to the wire with points, Arsenal currently lead the battle for goal difference by some distance with +56, followed by Manchester City (+44) and Liverpool (+43).

Wednesday 24th April 7:00pm Kick off 8:00pm

The next chapter of the title race sees Liverpool face Everton at Goodison live on Sky Sports on Wednesday before City travel to Brighton under the Sky cameras on Thursday.

Thursday 25th April 7:30pm Kick off 8:00pm

As it stands, Arsenal are the form side among the challengers with an average return of 2.4 points per game over their previous five league outings, compared to City (2.2) and Liverpool (2.0).

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So, how do the teams' title chances fare?

ARSENAL

Reasons to be optimistic

Arsenal suffered a dip over the festive period, losing three in five games, but have bounced back to almost perfect levels since with 12 wins and one draw from 14 games - with an aggregate scoreline of 45-6.

Additionally, the best defence usually wins titles and the Gunners have that this season.

Mikel Arteta's side have conceded just 26 goals this season - six fewer than other team. Meanwhile, their expected goals conceded tally is equally impressive at just 24.41 - 6.41 fewer than any other team.

Additionally, Arsenal have kept a table-topping 16 clean sheets - six more than any other team.

As a result, David Raya has shipped just 0.75 goals per 90 minutes on average this term, which, factoring stoppers that have clocked 810 minutes or more, is the best ratio across England's top four leagues.

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Reasons to be cautious

Arsenal's players do not have the same level of trophy-winning experience as their rivals. Additionally, last season's capitulation hangs over them. Having surrendered such a healthy lead over City, when it felt like they might never get a better chance, they now have much to prove.

Live: SNF

LIVERPOOL

Reasons to be optimistic

In terms of form, Liverpool have been the most consistent throughout the campaign - never dropping points in more than two consecutive Premier League games.

Reasons to be cautious

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Crystal Palace's win against Liverpool in the Premier League

They have conceded only 32 goals but the underlying numbers show they give their opponents far better chances than their rivals, with 39.30 expected goals against (xGa) given up so far, compared to Arsenal's 24.41 and City's 30.82.

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MAN CITY

Reasons to be optimistic

City drew three in a row from mid-November before losing 1-0 at Aston Villa. However, Guardiola's side are now unbeaten in normal time since December 6 as they look to see out the campaign in customary, dominant form.

Guardiola's players know exactly what it takes to get over the line as they chase an unprecedented fourth consecutive title triumph.

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Manchester City’s win against Luton in the Premier League

Their strength in depth is unrivalled, allowing them to plough on even without players of the calibre of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland earlier in the season.

Reasons to be cautious

The fact no side has won four league titles in a row is the main one. Amid stiff competition from Liverpool and Arsenal, can they maintain the level required for a fourth consecutive season? There is a reason it has never been done before.

The other glimmer of hope for their rivals is they look more defensively vulnerable than in previous campaigns. Having shipped 32 goals in 32 games, they are conceding close to their highest rate under Guardiola, almost on a par with the 2016/17 campaign, when they finished third.

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The graphic below shows each team's upcoming Premier League fixtures, but which side has the easiest schedule?

The colours represent the difficulty of each opponent, based on the current league position.

Liverpool's average opponent ranks 8.8 in the table, which is slightly tougher than Arsenal's (10.3) and Manchester City's (10.5) run-in.

Predicted table

City are favourites to win the title with a 56 per cent chance, according to Opta's supercomputer. Arsenal's chances have jumped from 22 per cent to 31 per cent after their win against Chelsea, while Liverpool are now the underdogs at 16 per cent.

So, City's chances of retaining their crown is now almost a 50/50 flip.

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Liverpool have had an opening offer for Arne Slot rejected after making the Feyenoord head coach their preferred choice to succeed Jurgen Klopp.

The Anfield club’s pursuit of Slot did not emerge until earlier this week as they prioritised discretion and a desire to show Feyenoord respect before Sunday’s Dutch Cup final, which they won.

That approach is sure to be maintained as Liverpool enter negotiations with the 2023 Eredivisie champions and their highly-regarded CEO Dennis te Kloese with the club knocking back an opening offer of €9million (£7.7m, $9.6m).

Liverpool are also in contact with Slot, who is enthusiastic about the possibility of moving to Merseyside.

The club are conducting a thorough process and will continue to assess other candidates, although Slot is the focus of their attention at present having emerged as the leading contender.

Klopp announced in January he would be leaving the club at the end of the season after nine years.

Slot helped guide Feyenoord to just a second Eredivisie title in 20 years last season and has the side second in the table at present.

Liverpool started the head coach search back in November with Fenway Sports Group’s CEO of football Michael Edwards and new sporting director Richard Hughes now leading the process.

Slot’s attacking style of play and track record of developing young talent match the criteria set out by the club with Xabi Alonso of Bayer Leverkusen and Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim among those also considered.

Slot, who turned down Tottenham Hotspur last year, has no release clause in his current contract that runs until 2026.

GO DEEPER

Arne Slot: A champion with Feyenoord and now a leading contender for Liverpool

(Maurice Van Steen/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)

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Liverpool have opened negotiations with Feyenoord about hiring Arne Slot as their new manager.

Sky Sports News reported on Tuesday that Slot is at the forefront of Liverpool's search for Jurgen Klopp's replacement.

The Feyenoord head coach ticks all their key criteria for the position and sources in Holland indicate the process could move quickly with the 45-year-old keen to join the Anfield club.

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

Why are Liverpool keen on Slot?

Who is Slot and why do Liverpool want him?

• Age: 45
• Trophies won: Eredivisie 2022/23, KNVB Cup 2023/24
• Playing style: Aggressive, full-throttle
• Preferred formations: 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3

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.

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Feyenoord boss Arne Slot gave an inspirational team talk following a huge win against Ajax last season - his side then went on to win the Eredivisie

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 4-3-3 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.

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.

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Peter Smith and David Reed discuss the news that Liverpool have opened negotiations with Feyenoord about hiring Slot as manager 'Slot brings crazy, sexy football'

Slot took over from Dick Advocaat at Feyenoord for the start of the 2021/22 season with the club having finished fifth the previous campaign. Just two years later, they were champions of the Eredivisie. He built a pressing team playing intense, attack-minded football while also being able to win.

Feyenoord are second behind PSV Eindhoven this season, 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, Dutch football journalist Marcel van der Kraan said: "He is the prime candidate for Liverpool. It was only a matter of time before another big English club would come knocking on the door. He's not only been a successful manager, he's also been hugely impressive with his playing style of very attack-minded, Pep Guardiola-style football.

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Dutch football journalist Marcel van der Kraan explains why Slot is the right candidate to replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager

"I don't expect Feyenoord to stand in the way. They know he's a manager in demand but they will demand a big compensation fee. He has two years left on his contract that was a record deal.

"Never before in Dutch football has a team paid a manager such huge wages. The players like him, the fans love him, the club love him - they won't want him to go. Feyenoord have every right to demand a big fee as there is no clause in his contract which he renewed last year.

"He's been a successful coach and made Feyenoord champions playing crazy, sexy football. It is sexy what this man brings on a football pitch. There's nothing more to win for him here. The next step for him is to enter a club in a big league and no league is bigger for the Dutch than the Premier League. I will be surprised if Slot doesn't bite at this chance and become the manager of Liverpool next season."

What has Slot said about managing in Premier League?

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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? Image: Slot was wanted by Tottenham before they appointed Ange Postecoglou

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.

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.

Image: Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy was keen on securing Slot last summer 'Slot is no shrinking violet'

European football expert Andy Brassell told Sky Sports News:

"Slot is a guy who has got a consistent record of success and playing attacking football over several years. That idea of redeveloping teams and working with younger players as well is something that really appeals to Liverpool.

"The way he wants to attack would really appeal to Liverpool fans, too. He always wants his teams to find a way to put pressure on the opposition, to press, to score goals, and they do that in Europe as well.

"No one is quite like Jurgen Klopp in front of the media, but Slot is no shrinking violet at all. We've seen this when his side have played Roma and he's come up against Jose Mourinho. He's not afraid to upset and won't back down.

"Premier League clubs have known he would fit in well for quite a while. The Premier League has moved more towards possession and front-foot football, so it's probably the right time for Slot. Of course, there's a gap in quality compared to the Eredivisie, but he'll have better players at his disposal in the Premier League."

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