Jamie Carragher has predicted that Liverpool could win the Champions League in their first season with Arne Slot as manager.
Slot took over from Jurgen Klopp earlier this summer after Klopp concluded a successful nine-year tenure. During his time with Liverpool, Klopp won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup.
Although Liverpool has largely retained the squad from Klopp’s final season and hasn’t made any new signings under Slot, Carragher remains optimistic for the upcoming season. He advised the team to avoid treating the new season as a transitional period and instead believes that Slot’s squad has the potential to excel in Europe, following Klopp’s three Champions League final appearances.
“We’re all pleasantly surprised by how well Liverpool did last season after a poor previous one. Liverpool boasts some of the best players in Europe,” he told Sky Sports.
“We’re bringing in a strong manager and likely a couple of new players, and we have a big squad. I don’t agree with the idea of Liverpool taking a year off to let the manager settle in.
“In my playing days, it was always a five-year plan with new managers, but other successful clubs like Chelsea, Manchester United, or Manchester City don’t follow that model.
“While it’s important to give a new manager time to adjust, I expect us to be competitive on all fronts. Liverpool has a real chance of winning the Champions League, and managing Liverpool comes with high expectations.
“I’m sure the manager will aim for a top-four finish and would love to win a trophy—making for a successful season. We need to compete for everything. Although we didn’t win everything under Jürgen Klopp, we were always in the mix.”
Although Jamie Carragher is confident Liverpool will secure silverware this season, he cautioned that fans might need to be patient early on as Arne Slot introduces his new style of play.
Carragher noted that Slot’s approach will differ from Jürgen Klopp’s, highlighting a potential shift toward a more controlled, possession-based game observed during pre-season.
He pointed out that while some have noted Slot’s style contrasts with Klopp’s, Liverpool under Klopp often controlled 60% of possession. The games might become less frenetic and more controlled, which could improve defensive stability—a noted area for improvement from last season.
Carragher shared these insights on Sky Sports as part of their start-of-season campaign, which features 92 passionate football fans from the Premier League and EFL discussing their hopes for the 2024/25 season.
