How 'Slotball' varies from Klopp's rock 'n' roll

Arne Slot, like Jurgen Klopp nine years ago, is new to British football

Arne Slot has done something at Liverpool that Jurgen Klopp managed only once in eight full seasons in charge: win the opening three Premier League games without conceding.

The former Feyenoord boss had big boots to fill when he replaced Klopp, who won the Champions League and Premier League with the Reds.

Fans were not sure how the team would fare with a new manager, but the early signs are good.

"The most impressive thing is that Slot has come in - understated and cool - and they have slightly changed the way they play as it is not so frantic," says BBC pundit Chris Sutton.

"They were great to watch under Jurgen Klopp but there seems to be greater control."

It appears like Liverpool might have shored up their leaky defence too.

BBC Sport looks at what is different and what has stayed the same.

Has the personnel changed?

Liverpool's only summer signing to join up with the team immediately was Juventus winger Federico Chiesa, who is yet to make his debut.

That means the team that Slot has put out was the one available to Klopp - but with a few fringe players gone, plus centre-back Joel Matip.

Fans bemoaned the failure to sign a defensive midfielder - specifically Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi - but Slot's fellow Dutchman Ryan Gravenberch has excelled in that role so far despite starting only 12 games last season.

"All of the club talk in the summer transfer window was about getting a defensive midfielder in, but in the opening games all of the players who have been put there have been so intelligent," former Blackburn and Celtic striker Sutton told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"They have shown that the number six position will not be too much of a problem because they have talent that is adaptable."

Diogo Jota has also been preferred to Darwin Nunez up front this season. Last season Nunez started more games than the Portuguese.

Formation-wise, Slot is going with a 4-2-3-1 compared to Klopp's 4-3-3.

The main difference is two more defensive midfielders - Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister - with Dominik Szoboszlai playing further forward than before.

The only real change Slot has made between games was Ibrahima Konate replacing Jarrell Quansah at half-time in the opener against Ipswich and keeping his place after that.

What do the numbers say?

Liverpool have won their first three league games by an aggregate 7-0, including a 3-0 win at Manchester United.

The only time Klopp managed three opening wins and three clean sheets was in 2018-19, also by a combined 7-0. That season they started off with six wins and 20 games unbeaten - and finished second on 97 points.

Liverpool have had a more patient build-up this season under Slot, with more passing at the back.

More of Liverpool's touches have come in their own penalty area - 11% compared to 6% last season - with more touches just in front of the box too.

The number of touches in the opposition penalty area is slightly higher too.

Albeit with a limited data set of three games, Klopp's side last season - averaged over 38 games - have better figures than Slot's team over several metrics.

Klopp's side had the edge per game on possession (61% compared to Slot's 57%), shots (21 v 16), passes (593 v 545), passes forward (189 v 168), direct attacks (2.6 v 1) and high turnovers (10 v 9).

Slot's side have slightly better passing accuracy (88% compared to Klopp's 86%) and face fewer shots (8 v 11).

The shots faced, and the fact they have not conceded, also indicates they are dealing with some of the issues that meant they conceded 41 league goals last season.

Goals scored are the same between both managers - 2.3 per game.

Jurgen Klopp - pictured at the Paralympics badminton in Paris this month - is taking a break from football

What do the observers say?

"The main difference appears to be their defensive solidity," said BBC Radio Merseyside's Ian Kennedy.

"Klopp's teams had no problems scoring goals and winning games, but had a tendency to concede too.

"This season the team are making sure they have players back in numbers if they lose possession and are not caught in transition.

"Liverpool still press, but maybe it's a slightly more controlled, more cautious approach."

BBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty says "the signs are good".

"Slot is doing it his way without trying to be Klopp. He also has an air of authority," he said.

"While it is very much business as usual, there are also subtle differences.

"Liverpool look a bit more controlled under Slot as opposed to the thrilling, but occasionally chaotic, approach under Klopp - that did bring great success."

And the player's view...

Mohamed Salah has scored second-half goals against Ipswich, Brentford and Manchester United this season

Liverpool's star attacker of the Klopp era, Mohamed Salah, has started this season in great form with a goal in each game.

Before the win over United he told the Liverpool website: "It's quite different to before. Now we are trying to control the ball all the time.

"Before it wasn't really the number one thing, because with Jurgen most of the time we tried to counter-attack or counter-press and try to win the ball as high as possible.

"We're still doing that, but also when you have the ball you have more time to keep the ball and just try to move the ball around."