Liverpool prolonged their streak atop the Premier League desk by one other week on Sunday, edging out Chelsea in a 2-1 win that was carefully contested by each side.
The Reds opened the scoring when Mohamed Salah transformed a penalty within the twenty ninth minute and, although Nicolas Jackson’s forty eighth minute equalizer added a layer of competitors to the sport, Curtis Jones’ 51st minute purpose gave Liverpool a bonus that they by no means relinquished. It marks the primary large win of Arne Slot’s tenure because the Liverpool supervisor, with the Dutchman constructing upon the robust first impression he is making in his first season in England.
Components of Slot’s most well-liked fashion had been on show on Sunday, when Liverpool had been outshot by Chelsea, however had been extra intentional with their makes an attempt at purpose than the opponent. The Reds took simply eight pictures, a low however not essentially unfamiliar determine to a crew that has not managed greater than 16 pictures in a recreation all season lengthy. They made up the hole within the high quality of their pictures – 5 had been on course, and collectively all makes an attempt at purpose translated to 2.26 anticipated targets, higher than Chelsea’s 1.45 xG from 12 pictures.
The standard over amount strategy is turning into a staple of Slot’s. Although Liverpool rank eighth within the league for pictures, they’re third for pictures on purpose proportion and second for anticipated targets with 16.24, and are true to kind with 15 targets in eight video games. The Reds additionally maintained their robust defensive run regardless of conceding, having solely let in three targets over the course of the Premier League season up to now.
As Slot begins so as to add large video games to his Liverpool résumé, he is demonstrated some vary in his tactical strategy. The Reds ceded possession to Chelsea and had simply 43.1% of the ball, doing that just one different time this season – their 3-0 win over Manchester United final month. They took extra two extra pictures at purpose that day, however weren’t essentially an offensive juggernaut, placing simply three pictures on purpose and mustering 1.79 anticipated targets. They by no means regarded notably uncomfortable towards United, although, and towards a stronger opponent in Chelsea, that was as soon as once more the case.
Slot reworked Liverpool right into a extra restrained aspect, with their common pictures per recreation dropping from 20.8 final season to 14.1 this season. Their finish product has not suffered a lot, although – they common 1.9 targets per recreation and a pair of anticipated targets, down barely from final season’s 2.3 targets per recreation and a pair of.4 anticipated targets. Slot’s strategy has actually benefited their defensive outlook, with their targets towards common dropping from 1.1 to 0.4 this season.
The win affords Liverpool a one level benefit on the high of the desk over Manchester Metropolis, who had been imperfect in a win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday, and affords them a formidable early begin in a maybe sudden title cost in Slot’s first yr. Liverpool now have 10 wins of their opening 11 matches beneath Slot, which marks as robust a progress report as any for a Premier League newcomer.
The onus can be on them to proceed this way, particularly towards all kinds of assessments and whereas Slot works with Jurgen Klopp’s proficient however getting older squad. With a rebuild seemingly subsequent yr’s drawback, Slot can have one other fascinating tactical check subsequent week at Arsenal, one other defense-minded crew that has title aspirations of their very own.