Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock has backed the Reds to push for the Premier League title again in 2024-25, despite the departure of Jurgen Klopp at the end of last season.
Klopp ended his hugely successful nine-year reign at Anfield with a third-placed finish in the top flight last term, with Liverpool falling away from Manchester City and Arsenal in the closing weeks of the campaign.
The popular German has since been replaced by Arne Slot, and pre-season results have been promising with the Merseysiders winning four and drawing one of their five warm-up fixtures, including victories over Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester United.
However, matters off the pitch have been more concerning for fans, and Liverpool will enter the new season as the only Premier League team yet to bring in any reinforcements during the summer transfer window.
There are still two weeks remaining until the window closes and, while Slot has talked up the quality of the squad he inherited from Klopp, Liverpool are known to be in the market for a new goalkeeper and midfielder at least.
The real business will get underway on Saturday lunchtime when the Reds travel to take on newly-promoted Ipswich Town at what is sure to be a noisy Portman Road for the Tractor Boys' first top-flight match since 2002.
"Be your own man - you're not Jurgen Klopp"
Stepping into the shoes of one of the most successful and beloved managers Liverpool have ever had is a daunting challenge, and history is littered with examples of managers who have failed to live up to the reputations of their long-serving predecessors.
Liverpool themselves provided arguably the most notable counter-example, though, with Bob Paisley succeeding Bill Shankly - a man to whom Klopp was often compared - in 1974 and going on to lead the Reds to even greater glory than the Scot achieved.
Paisley and Shankly were very different characters and, while it would be unfair to expect Slot to hit the heights of Paisley, Warnock believes that it is important for the incoming Dutchman to stamp his own personality on the team.
"He's got to give the fans a style of football that entertains and makes Anfield a very difficult place to come to, because when Liverpool fans believe in the team and want to go to the game and watch an entertaining but winning style of football, they'll get behind the team and make it very difficult. That what he's got to do - create that atmosphere at Anfield," Warnock told Sports Mole.
"Be charismatic, but be your own man as well. You're not Jurgen Klopp and he'll know this. He's not daft but he's got to get his own personality into that team. That will be fascinating to see how that plays out in the coming years."
Liverpool "need more depth" but should challenge for trophies
Warnock believes that Liverpool need to be busy in the closing stages of the transfer market if they are to keep pace with Man City and Arsenal this term, but is confident that Slot can keep Liverpool at a similar level to the one they enjoyed during Klopp's final season in charge.
"His top priority is that he's got to compete for that league title and people will say that's very early on to do it but Liverpool were there with five games to go last season and showed that they've got the players that are capable to do that," Warnock told Sports Mole.
"They probably ran out of steam, lost key players at key times and I know people were saying that those players will come back at the end of the season and play a big role, but you need game time to get up to that speed and I felt that when those players came in they weren't really match sharp and that affected Liverpool in the latter stages.
"He needs to add players to the squad. They need more depth. It was fascinating to see what happened with Luis Diaz. I know there was a lot of talk around him and potentially Anthony Gordon coming in. The Mo Salah situation as well is something that was fascinating to see how that played out.
Asked what would make for a successful first season in the Anfield dugout, Warnock added: "I'd say something very similar to last season if I'm being completely honest where winning a cup and then competing with the league, if they push the two at the top very close.
"A good run in the Champions League is always expected. I know they missed out on Champions League football last year. They were in the Europa League, but the Champions League nights are special for any club. Teams fear going to Anfield. They they know it's iconic on Champions League nights, the atmosphere gets ramped up tenfold.
"If they can have a good run in the Champions League and possibly win a trophy, whether that's an FA Cup or a Carabao Cup, and a good run in the league... I'm not asking for much, am I?!
"The big thing is that the gulf between Liverpool, City and Arsenal is not as far away as you think it might be. Depending on the additions of players into the squad, will determine where Liverpool finish their season."
Liverpool have finished in the top three in five of the last six Premier League seasons, including three hauls of 90+ points, but only managed one title during the Klopp era thanks largely to the presence of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.
Stephen Warnock was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of BetVictor. body check tags ::
