Liverpool progress report: Best players, underachievers and season performance so far | OneFootball

Life without Jurgen Klopp had the potential to be a real nightmare for Liverpool fans, but thanks to Arne Slot, the Reds are sleeping soundly these days.

There has been no transition period for the new boss, with Liverpool sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League table and boasting the division's best defence for good measure. The Slot era is here to stay.

As we prepare for a four-month run of club football that isn't interrupted by international nonsense, here's a review of Liverpool's glorious start to the campaign.

Performance so far

Things have been going well for Liverpool / Carl Recine/GettyImages

It's safe to say Slot has enjoyed the first few months of his Anfield tenure. Liverpool have been largely sensational across this early period of the season and undoubtedly deserve their spot at the top of the Premier League table.

Among the most impressive things about Liverpool this year is their defensive record. There was plenty of talk about Arsenal being the side to break Chelsea's record of conceding just 15 goals across a campaign, but it's Liverpool who are the only side with a genuine shot of doing so. The Reds have shipped six goals in 11 games, and while that rate isn't enough to break the record, that doesn't mean it's anything other than outstanding.

The Champions League has been a walk in the park so far, with big wins over AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen the stand-out results, while Liverpool also remain in the Carabao Cup after navigating a tricky Brighton outfit.

Salah is on top form / Jan Kruger/GettyImages

It's the easy answer, but you simply cannot look past Mohamed Salah, who has been one of the best players on the planet this season. To hit double-figures in both goals and assists after just 17 games is electric.

At the back, Virgil van Dijk also deserves plenty of credit. Many felt the Dutchman's time at the very top of the sport was coming to a close, but Van Dijk has been playing some of the best football of his career this year at the age of 33. Slot's system appears to be getting the best out of him.

Ryan Gravenberch has saved his Liverpool career thanks to a dominant start to the season. The youngster's flame may have cooled in recent weeks but that's only because the level he set early doors was simply unsustainably high.

There has also been some serious input from Luis Diaz, who began the season in prolific form and is now working to rediscover his best.

Chiesa has been plagued by injuries / Dan Mullan/GettyImages

Injuries may make this slightly harsh, but there's no denying that Liverpool fans have been underwhelmed by Federico Chiesa's start to life at the club. The summer signing has managed just three appearances and has instead spent the past few months dealing with various fitness issues.

Liverpool's overwhelming success means it's not easy to poke holes in the squad, but if we're being hyper-critical, Dominik Szoboszlai hasn't exactly lived up to expectations, while Andy Robertson and Darwin Nunez are both battling to shake off some patchy runs of form.

Slot should fancy his chances of success / James Gill - Danehouse/GettyImages

Despite the monumental change in manager, few expected Liverpool to really struggle this season - 90min predicted a third-placed finish - but the idea that they could transition so seamlessly into a new era comes as a real surprise.

Liverpool have been the best team in England and sit in the upper echelon of European outfits. Billing like that dictates silverware of some sort.

Could Liverpool win the Premier League? Based on current form, absolutely. There should be at least one domestic trophy in their future, and fans will also be disappointed with anything other than a deep run in the Champions League. If Slot's side keep this up, 2024/25 could be a famous campaign.