Everything's the Best: Room at the Top

Yesterday at 05:29 AM

Liverpool close out the festive fixtures 7 points clear at the top of the Premier League

Liverpool had a pretty simple task with the festive crush of fixtures lying in wait: match the results of their closest rivals in the chase for the Premier League title - in this case, Chelsea and Arsenal - and keep the pressure on those coming up behind to be perfect. With Liverpool coming from behind against Ruud van Nistelrooy's Leicester City to take a 3-1 win on Boxing Day, Arne Slot's Reds can safely say that the mission has been accomplished. Now, regardless of what happens with Arsenal's fixture later today, Liverpool will have crossed the most crowded period of fixtures at least 6 points ahead of their nearest rivals with a game in hand.

We've talked a lot over the last two months that all of this is unequivocally surprising. Even allowing for how bullish some of us were at the state of the squad that Jurgen Klopp left behind, it'd be surprise for nearly all that the transition from the iconic manager to newly arrived Arne Slot would not only be so seamless, it'd lead to a run that has echoes of that special Liverpool side that secured the Champions League, Club World Cup, and Premier League from 2018-2020.

Slot's side is impressive but it will still need to exhibit an ability to turn these results for a little while longer yet to be able to truly stand next to that squad. What's changed, perhaps, is that this collection of results shows this team has a chance to be that special.

This season's success have been built on a few special stories. The first is the redemption of Ryan Gravenberch. With the Dutchman making their way back from being on the fringe of Jurgen Klopp's side to being the first player on Arne Slot's teamsheet, it's tough to name a moment where he's looked anything but world class out on the pitch. For my money, he's the best Premier League midfielder on form and has a case to making any world team as among the best on the globe.

Next to Gravenberch is Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian King is in the form of his life, with 16 goals and 11 assists in 17 matches. If he manages to keep this pace, Mo will absolutely shatter his personal best season and will etch his name in the record books as one of the best attacking seasons in Premier League history.

Lots of uncertainty still looms over the club - extensions to Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Virgil van Dijk, for example. But what's been great to witness is a team that is just consistently stepping into its greatness; not so much out there to prove anything to anyone, but rather one calmly delivering on a promise of extreme quality.

Slot's work over the past 6 months since he's come on board is truly incredible. It's not just the results, but the speed at which the implementation has happened. It's obvious that he's managed to communicate instruction and roles clearly. Pairing that with keen tactical shifts in response to what's happening in-game and it's tough to name a non-Klopp period where I've felt this secure with what the boss is doing. Which is all to say that things are, at their most simple, a true joy to watch.

As Liverpool count the days to their last match in 2024, I'm left caught in the tension of wanting to revel in the warmth of a club that is ascendant, while also knowing that the only path to glory is through the uncertain thicket that is the future. I will, though, opt to be present and to enjoy the ride, because all of this, at this moment, is an unexpected blessing. Or, to remain seasonally appropriate, a gift.

Here's hoping that the Reds manage to come good on the promising start they've embarked upon.