Liverpool are soaring at the top of the Premier League but data shows that only TWO new stars from Arne Slot’s side would feature in Jurgen Klopp’s title-winning team of 2019-20 – THE SHARPE END
For those who don’t belong to the red side of Merseyside, it’s easy to forget just how dominant Liverpool were when they won the Premier League title five seasons ago.
One point short of a century, won the league by 18 points. We look at this team under Arne Slot and think they have started well and are flying high at the top of the table, but it is nothing compared to the Liverpool of 2019-2020.
After fifteen games they had won fourteen and drawn one. Seven points more than this time. And yet this new, different-looking Liverpool are favorites to win the title in Arne Slot’s first season, which would be a stunning achievement.
So, how do they compare? Who limits who? And what makes them different?
ARNE IS IN CONTROL
At first glance there is only a piece of paper in between. Almost identical shots per game at around 15.5 and similar on target with a smidge of over six.
Arne Slot has his Liverpool side in a dominant position after a flying start to the new era at Anfield
It’s easy to forget how dominant Jurgen Klopp’s side were, ending their wait for a title
| 2019-20 | First 15 games | 2024-25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | wins | 11 | |
| 1 | Pulls | 3 | |
| 0 | To lose | 1 | |
| 37 | G.F | 31 | |
| 14 | GO | 13 | |
| 2 | Clean sheets | 7 | |
| 93 percent | Win rate | 73 percent | |
| 43 | Points | 36 |
There were a few extra shots this season, 10 against eight, but the same expected goals (xG) conceded one, so chances of very similar quality and both with around 85 percent accuracy.
Yet there are clear differences in styles and not in the ways we might have expected.
It will come as no surprise that Jürgen Klopp’s team put on more pressure. The title winners won the ball further up the pitch, as the heatmaps show.
And yet it didn’t necessarily work as efficiently as the new set. Less possession high up the pitch led to shots and goals than those of the current team. Slot’s side is more controlled. They choose their moments.
Slot’s teams like to keep the ball while Klopp was all direct and heavy metal, so the expectation was that this new Liverpool would be the possession king.
Yet it was Klopp who had more ball possession and made more passes, but both had the same number of ball contacts in the penalty area.
This season, Liverpool are losing possession on 17 percent of their touches, less than in any season under Klopp.
Again, it seems that Slot is more efficient at converting possession into opportunities.
Ball recovery at Liverpool: first 15 games of this season (left) versus last 15 games of 2019/20 (right)
According to the data, the Reds are holding the ball better under Slot than in any season under Klopp
| LiverpoolPL per 90 | 2019-20 | 2024-25 | |
| Possess | 64 percent | 57 percent | |
| Passes | 628 | 533 | |
| Touches in box | 33.6 | 34.1 | |
| High turnover | 10.7 | 8.5 | |
| – (ending in a shot) | 1.7 | 1.9 | |
| – (ending in a goal) | 0.2 | 0.3 |
SALAH ON ANOTHER LEVEL
The big difference between this season and their title-winning campaign is Mo Salah, his performances and how much more the Reds rely on him.
The Egyptian king already has thirteen league goals and nine assists to his name.
After fifteen games in 2019/20 he had six and three. He wasn’t even Liverpool’s top scorer. Sadio Mane led the way on nine.
Salah is putting up better numbers for Liverpool than ever before – and Slot is doing a much better job of getting him into more dangerous, goal-scoring positions.
He is touching the ball in the box as regularly as he did in the title-winning season and has a similar number of shots, but the chances he is getting now are of better quality and, crucially, he is much more ruthless in taking them.
Salah also runs less and presses less than he did in Jurgen Klopp’s heavy metal band.
That’s much better for the legs of a 32-year-old and for a manager who has to let his star player miss the whole season.
Mohamed Salah has been in excellent form this season and has already scored thirteen goals
Slot does a much better job of getting his star into more dangerous, goal-scoring positions
| Salah per PL game | 2019-20 | 2024-25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shots | 3.9 | 3.4 | |
| Great opportunities | 0.6 | 0.9 | |
| Conversion rate | 14.4 percent | 25.5 percent | |
| Touches in box | 9.5 | 9.7 | |
| Walking meters | 9821.1 | 9543.4 | |
| Pressure in final 1/3 | 13.5 | 10.2 | |
| After 15 games | |||
| Goals | 13 | 6 | |
| Assists | 9 | 3 | |
| Opportunities created | 27 | 18 |
So, who makes the combined XI?
The question that really makes you think about how this group compares to the heroes of 2019-2020 is whether any of them would make the triumphant team.
Many of those who were there then are here now and choose themselves. Alisson in goal, Trent Alexander-Arnold at right back, Virgil van Dijk at center back and Andrew Robertson at left back.
The title-winning versions. Mo Salah, running along the wing, but this season’s incarnation.
Salah, Mane and Roberto Firmino at the top. No one picks Darwin Nunez instead, right?
The places up for grabs are next to Van Dijk, who fills the three places in midfield.
Let’s get the defense out of the way. It’s between title-winning Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate. Joel Matip put up sensational numbers in 2019/20, but only started eight games and is unfortunately ruled out.
It’s also close, but Konate dominates his fights more consistently and is more accurate on the ball. He wins more of his aerial duels than even Van Dijk at his peak.
Ryan Gravenberch (second from left) was fantastic, both in winning duels and in getting the ball forward
| Gomes | Konate | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Every 90 minutes | 2019-20 | 2024-25 | |
| Dribbled past | 0.5 | 0.3 | |
| Chargebacks | 6.8 | 3.1 | |
| Passing accuracy | 88 percent | 91 percent | |
| Duels success | 56 percent | 72 percent | |
| Success in an aerial duel | 59 percent | 82 percent |
| 2019-20 | 2019-20 | 2019-20 | 2024-25 | 2024-25 | 2024-25 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Every 90 minutes | Henderson | Fabinho | Wijnaldum | Gravenberch | MacAllister | Szoboszlai | |
| Successful passes | 62.9 | 59.6 | 45.1 | 54.8 | 43.7 | 42.7 | |
| Chargebacks | 7.3 | 6.8 | 5.8 | 5.6 | 5 | 5.8 | |
| Opportunities created | 1 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.9 | |
| Goes to final 1/3 | 10.8 | 7.6 | 4.6 | 6.9 | 5.3 | 4.8 | |
| Duels success | 56 percent | 55 percent | 47 percent | 62 percent | 47 percent | 49 percent | |
| Progressive carries | 8.2 | 6.5 | 5.8 | 7.5 | 3.6 | 6.7 |
Things get more interesting in midfield, where a bunch of fantastic players are fighting for three places. Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Gini Wijnaldum of the title heroes, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai of the new attackers.
Henderson comes straight in, not just because of his leadership, but also the fact that his numbers, in winning the ball back, pushing forward and progressing the game, were phenomenal that season. Fabinho also steps in for the same reasons.
The last place goes to Ryan Gravenberch. Sorry, Gini. Gravenberch has been fantastic this season. He boasts excellent figures in his midfield matches and knows how to move the ball forward by passing or carrying it.
I’m sure everyone will agree.
My combined XI (bold players from 2024-25): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, KonateRobertson; Fabinho, GravenberchHenderson; SalahFirmino, Mane