Arne Slot is just lucky at Liverpool

Former football star Sol Campbell thinks Arne Slot is merely lucky at Liverpool, benefiting from a flawless team left by Jurgen Klopp and achieving early Premier League success.

The legendary former Arsenal defender Sol Campbell claims that Liverpool’s coach Arne Slot is “lucky” to inherit a perfect squad left by Jurgen Klopp, which helped him secure the Premier League title in his first season at Anfield.

Slot took over the managerial position at Liverpool last summer after Klopp ended his nine-year tenure with the Merseyside club. Despite few personnel changes, except for adding Federico Chiesa, the Dutch coach still led the Reds to win the 2024/25 Premier League, surpassing Manchester City and Arsenal.

Compared to his colleague Mikel Arteta, Campbell believes the Spanish coach is the one who truly impresses. “Arne Slot inherited a very strong team; he didn’t have to rebuild from scratch. That’s luck. Arteta, on the other hand, had to overhaul the squad, remove unsuitable players, and rebuild from the ground up,” Campbell shared.

According to the former England center-back, Arteta’s rebuilding process has established a solid foundation for Arsenal. “Over the past two seasons, Arsenal have gradually refined their squad. They have a top-class striker, Viktor Gyokeres, and must find ways to maximize his potential. When defender William Saliba extended his contract until 2030, it showed his belief in the club’s championship prospects. This season, Arsenal must win the title no matter what,” Campbell emphasized.

After a 2-0 victory over West Ham and Liverpool’s slip against Chelsea, Arsenal temporarily rose to the top of the Premier League table. Campbell attributes the Gunners’ strength to their defense, especially the form of Jurrien Timber: “Timber is currently one of the best right-backs in Europe—fast, solid, and very dangerous going forward. Despite suffering a serious injury, he has shown outstanding quality.”

The former Arsenal center-back believes the cohesion and confidence in defense are key factors that could help Arteta’s team claim the title after more than 20 years of waiting: “The players are young but play with great maturity. Confidence has returned. Arsenal now know they can achieve it.”