After exiting two competitions in the space of five days and with the Premier League title race looking increasingly like a precession, thoughts are already turning to what should be expected of Arne Slot and Liverpool next season.

In the Champions League last 16, the Reds bumped up against a Paris Saint-Germain side who – after more than a decade of falling short of expectations in Europe – finally look the sum of their extremely expensive parts.

It was a tight two-legged encounter that could have gone either way.



At least on Liverpool’s part.

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It was evidence of the Reds’ inertia at Wembley Stadium that Newcastle won 68 per cent of the game’s aerial duels as the Magpies secured a 2-1 victory and their first major trophy for 70 years.

Liverpool’s failure to rouse themselves to properly compete in the final was perhaps a symptom of a league campaign that, in all honesty, has seen them encounter little resistance.

As the expert sportsbook reviews at FIRST.com show, it would take a minor miracle for Liverpool not to claim a record-equalling 20th top-flight title this term.

Slot’s side have been a triumph of consistency, beaten just once in the Premier League this season and holding a commanding 12-point lead over second-placed Arsenal with just nine fixtures remaining.

Their underlying statistics show that their title waltz has been no fluke, too.

And in terms of expected points, Liverpool’s lead is commanding, too – 66.22 to Arsenal’s 58.21.

The disappointment of last week’s double cup eliminations – along with the shock FA Cup fourth-round exit to Championship strugglers Plymouth – should not distract from what has been an extraordinary maiden campaign in England for Slot.

As fans and pundits project ahead to the 2025-26 season and expectations are set for Slot and his men, it would be easy to argue that anything short of a title repeat and success in at least one other tournament is the minimum bar to clear.

But the true target should be sustainability.

After seven years of Jurgen Klopp’s charismatic leadership, few expected that Slot would come in and not only steady the ship but guide the Reds to a title triumph.

Alongside the importance of pacing throughout a season that will power Liverpool to further silverware next term.

Patience was preached when Slot was appointed as Klopp’s successor.

It turned out the Dutchman didn’t need it.

But giddiness over Liverpool’s Premier League supremacy should not breed a thirst for too much more too soon.
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