Liverpool

Mandeep Sanghera
BBC Sport journalist

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It was party time at Liverpool after they secured this season's league title with a win against Tottenham at Anfield last Sunday.

The players and staff revelled in equalling the title tally of arch rivals Manchester United on 20 before putting the celebrations on hold to return to training and prepare for a return to action at Chelsea on Sunday.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot will be chatting to the media at 09:00 BST today so we'll probably find out about how he's been enjoying winning the Premier League in his first season in charge.

It'll be interesting to hear from the Dutchman and find out what he wants to get from his side's final four games of the season.

Will some of the fringe players, Federico Chiesa in particular, get more of a run out to prove their worth?

Chiesa was Liverpool's only signing for this season but has hardly been used by Slot and it would be interesting to see what he can do if given more game time.

Also, more focus will now shift to the future of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is out of contract in the summer, so we'll find out what Slot has to say about that as well.

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Former Manchester City and Tottenham defender Kyle Walker believes Virgil van Dijk's ability to defend without making tackles is rare in the modern game.

Discussing Van Dijk on The Kyle Walker podcast, the famous Paolo Maldini line sprang to mind: "If you have to make a tackle, then you've already made a mistake."

Walker said: "I think that's a fair quote. You can understand that statement that he's made and I think, who am I to question Maldini's footballing brain? Because of what he did in football, he is probably one of the greats.

"I understand that he's probably saying that you're probably not in the correct position. If you're making a tackle, you're probably out of position slightly for you to be lunging in or sliding in. I definitely can understand his quote."

When asked if there are many modern defenders that have that ability, Walker immediately pointed to Van Dijk.

"Very rarely do you see him tackle," Walker said. "He backs his speed, he backs his strength and he backs his knowledge of the game. You don't see him flying into challenges. He slows people down, waits for cover to come in, and it's good defending.

"Defending is not just about tackling and smashing people. Sometimes, you have to use your head and I think, especially in the modern day, you hit your peak as a defender at 30 or 31. You're still learning your trade up until then."

Listen to the full podcast

The Monday Night Club panel have been discussing whether Liverpool will be the most attractive Premier League destination this summer, after Arne Slot came in and scooped up a Premier League title in his first season at Anfield.

Former England captain Steph Houghton says the club will need to think about their current "culture" before splashing the cash.

"As a footballer you want security and stability - and at this moment in time, out of the top five or top six clubs, Liverpool provide that," she said.

"But next year will be a tough season for Liverpool because once you're at the top, it is so much harder to stay there than trying to climb your way up there.

"At Chelsea, it has been a bit of a car crash at times, when they have been making decisions and buying all of these players, but buying loads of players doesn't necessarily bring success.

"It is obvious that Arne Slot is going to go and buy players, but then it is about how he moulds that culture again."

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

English attacking midfielder Harvey Elliott, 22, has struggled for first-team football at Liverpool this season but wants to stay and fight for his place at the club. (Liverpool Echo, external)

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Ian Kennedy
BBC Radio Merseyside reporter

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It has all been said about Liverpool's title win. The plaudits heading the way of Arne Slot and his players are thoroughly deserved. But important days still lie ahead, starting at Chelsea on Sunday.

Every team Liverpool play between now and the end of the season will want to prove themselves against the champions. Mind you, that is something the Reds deal with every week, so no change there.

Then it will be a case of summer recruitment plans.

The future of Trent Alexander-Arnold is still to be sorted out, but where do Liverpool need to strengthen? How many players will they look to bring in, and who might leave?

These are the questions Slot and his backroom team will have been pondering and it will be a big summer either way as the club will want to build on this success and make it a regular occurrence. Building from a position of strength, as they say.

But they will not buy for buying's sake. This squad won the title comfortably let's not forget. There are great players on the bench every week, so maybe we can expect only minimal changes.

Anyway, that's for another day. One game at a time - and four still to play!

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We asked if you think Liverpool need to sign any midfielders this summer to support the main core already in the squad.

Here are some of your comments:

Ken: The most important Liverpool player in shadow is Mac Allister. His mileage, passing, pressing and scoring is more than any other player in attacking midfield or attack did - period. Liverpool desperately need somebody like Kevin de Bruyne. Go and get him.

LFCdenmark: I think they should buy Ritsu Doan from Freiburg. Excellent attacking midfielder - and for sure he'll be cheaper than Florian Wirtz.

Dave: I honestly believe Adam Wharton would be a great fit for Liverpool. A very talented footballer, naturally fit and strong.

John: Why sign midfielders when there's enough in the squad?

Jay: I still think we need a genuine, natural number six. Gravenberch has been amazing but he was dropping off the past six or seven games, as were a few others - and we didn't have quite have enough in the tank against PSG, when Vitinha ran the show. The other lads we have, including Jones, are far better going forwards when we are in possession than sitting or chasing all game.

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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It was a red-letter day at Anfield and a red everything else for that matter. I may well have been an uninvited guest to this particular party, but it is worth having an outsider's eyes on these occasions. So even if I favour the blue side of the city, I was still massively impressed by the team, the day and the performance - and then the spectacle that ensued.

If you win a title, you hope everything goes well on the day to make it more special. So the sun shone, the team played superbly, five goals were dispatched, and there was time to soak up the 'moment' for a good half hour after Mo Salah scored the fourth.‌

The fans could then soak up the glory for another hour, serenading the players post-match, as they all wallowed in a celebration they had waited 35 years for inside that stadium.‌

Talking of moments, even though Alexis Mac Allister's rocket sending his team 2-1 ahead was memorable, it was eclipsed when Arne Slot took to the microphone in the centre circle and sang the name of his predecessor Jurgen Klopp, in an echo of Klopp's selfless paean to him before he arrived.

It was as classy and selfless a moment as I have witnessed by any football manager.

The passing of control from one coach to another is often a small-minded affair, the new one desperate to grab any glory he can from the former.

This usually means dismantling much of the previous guy's good work, however successful he was.

Not here, both men are above that and this is why the dynasty has not only a chance of surviving, but is likely to blossom.

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Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock had high praise for captain Virgil van Dijk on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

"He is key [to Arne Slot's side]," said Warnock. "What a leader he has been.

"He is calm and relaxed and the way he has handled himself this year is magnificent."

But it is not only the Dutchman's defensive and people management capabilities that have caught Warnock's attention.

"It's the way he starts attacks," he added. "His passing range is phenomenal and it is so relaxed when he does it."

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

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Liverpool fan and podcaster Peter Bolster, speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside on the importance of Mohamed Salah:

"He's a wonderful footballer. This season he has been incredible. He has been different. He was a playmaker and that is one of the differences Arne Slot has brought in.

"He loves being great. He loved it under Jurgen Klopp but, for him, it doesn't matter who the manager is. A lot of managers get the credit but Salah doesn't let that happen. He says 'I'm Mo Salah and I'm great no matter who is in charge'.

On Virgil van Dijk, Bolster added: "People were wondering if he would ever be the same after his injury but he's shown how incredible he is.

"Slot has come into a dressing room full of winners. These players have mental steel and they want to influence each and every game. Virgil doesn't want to come off, he doesn't want to be rested - he's not that kind of guy."

Listen to the full clip on BBC Sounds

Liverpool and Manchester City are interested in signing 25-year-old Italy right-back Andrea Cambiaso, who appears set to leave Juventus this summer. (Calciomercato), external

Meanwhile, the Reds want Bournemouth defensive duo Dean Huijsen, 20, and Milos Kerkez, 21, plus Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike, 22, to bolster their squad and help defend their Premier League title. (Mail), external

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Jonathan Bradley
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist

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After winning his maiden Premier League title last weekend, Liverpool's Conor Bradley hopes his former club Dungannon Swifts can secure a memorable first of their own on Saturday.

The Stangmore Park outfit have never won the Irish Cup and will meet Cliftonville in the showpiece decider at Windsor Park on Saturday afternoon (14.30 BST).

The 21-year-old played age-group football for Dungannon United Youth and latterly Dungannon Swifts, and will be supporting Rodney McAree's side from afar this weekend.

"I'm really looking forward to it," Bradley, who missed Liverpool clinching the title against Tottenham on Sunday through injury, told BBC Sport NI.

"I think they've done really well this year, obviously getting to the final."

Bradley had already caught the attention of Liverpool when playing with Dungannon, limiting his appearances for the club. Still, however, he enjoyed the experience.

"It was a good time when I was there," he added.

"I was there for 18 months or two years and I've really fond memories, I met some really good people when I was there.

"I loved my time at Dungannon. Hopefully they can get the job done in the final and bring a trophy back to Dungannon."

As they prepare for what could be the biggest day in the club's history, the Swifts' focus on youth is again in the spotlight.

Joe McAree, a former manager at Stangmore Park and father of current boss Rodney McAree, can still remember the first time he saw Bradley in action for his hometown club St Patrick's.

"I went to see him one night in Omagh and he was playing in a final two years up for St Patrick's," he recalled.

"It was obvious he was a great, talented player.

"I'd been told about him three years before, but there was no way I was going to be asking an eight-year-old to run up the road from Castlederg to Dungannon to play football."

'I still believe he's a Steven Gerrard'

Making his pitch to Bradley's parents after that game, the youngster did not immediately choose Dungannon.

"Conor wasn't sure, it was a long distance and he was closer to Maiden City," Joe McAree said.

"A couple of days later, the mum rang to say 'Conor feels he's better going to Maiden City but thank you very much' and everything else.

"To be honest, I could have cried on the phone, I very nearly did."

Within six months, Bradley had come to Dungannon and his successes at Liverpool have come as no surprise to those still at the club.

Joe McAree, however, believes there could be even more to come.

"I still believe he's a Steven Gerrard," he added.

"The first manager brave enough to put him into a Steven Gerrard role rather than right wing-back or right-back will have an even better player."

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah on social media: "This is what we wanted to deliver to our fans more than anything. This is a club that should always compete for everything and be right at the top. No excuses. All teams win games but in the end there's only one champion. That's what history remembers and this applies to next season as well."

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We asked you whether or not Arne Slot needs to bring in reinforcements this summer, after former Liverpool forward John Barnes said the Dutchman doesn't need to bolster his Premier League winning side too much.

Here are some of your replies:

Pat: Liverpool definitely need to do some business this summer, but it needs to be sensible. We need a centre-forward who can score goals and stay fit (sorry Jota) and a new left-back. The most important thing though is to give games to the talented young players at the club already. The likes of Elliott and Bradley need to be playing football every week, not moving further down the pecking order to accommodate new signings.

Paul: I love John Barnes as a player, but I have never been on the same page with him regarding his thinking. We don't need major team surgery but we should recruit now for the future, if the right players are available. I have no doubt Liverpool will do this for next season. Superstars? No. What will turn out to be super players? Yes.

Andy: I love big John Barnes but he is wrong on this one. You always strengthen from a position of power. We didn't do so adequately after 2019-20 and it set us back half a decade. New signings are must if we are to kick on.

Jason: He is exactly right. We can buy one or two players, but we don't need to break the bank. We can leave that for the others to try and catch up.

Liam: I agree with Barnes. They have just won the biggest league on the planet with weeks still left remaining. I think they will be alright next season...

Ken: I love John Barnes but I couldn't disagree more with him on this. Liverpool must not squander the opportunity to strengthen while at the top. It was apparent that the squad required a little bit more depth when exiting the Champions League and losing in the League Cup final. It won't be too long before the cornerstones of the last two title wins will need replacing so it's better starting now. Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen, Ederson (of Atalanta) and Nico Williams would represent a statement of intent.

Mark: New blood in the team creates competition for the other players. If Slot rests on his laurels the established players could become complacent. Hopefully they can get Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth and Dean Huijsen – he's a fantastic talent who reminds me of Alan Hansen. He could also play the holding mid-field role so Gravenberch gets a rest. Alexander Isak would be a great addition to any team but I feel he's being priced out of a move. Need to keep the fire in the belly - Sir Alex Ferguson always refreshed a title winning team.

Anthony: If it's not broken don't fix it. Liverpool already have the players to challenge for major honours next season.

Yusuf: Curtis Jones is the perfect person who can step up - his technical ability is excellent and he has been on the bench in a lot of games this season. Give Jones some more time on the pitch and it will help both him and Gravenberch to develop.

Jordan Chamberlain
Fan writer

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In the absence of Rodri through injury this season, Alexis Mac Allister just might be.

The Argentine was jaw-droppingly good against Tottenham at Anfield on Sunday, as Liverpool won the title.

Mac Allister played the whole game with a smile on his face. He passed smartly, pressed relentlessly and bullied Spurs, while showing creativity on the ball.

His goal that put Liverpool 2-1 up was the game's most important and best. How could you hit a ball that hard with your wrong foot? It was sensational.

Ryan Gravenberch was Liverpool's best midfielder at the start of the season, but basing it on the whole campaign it has to be Mac Allister. He is not quite as important to the team as Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk, but he is pretty close.

In the summer, Liverpool need to sign another midfielder to support Gravenberch as the holding player.

Then, Curtis Jones, Mac Allister and Dom Szoboszlai can share the two positions ahead.

It will be interesting to see what Arne Slot does with Harvey Elliott. The Englishman loves Liverpool and would prefer to stay and win the manager over. but he has not started a Premier League game all season.

Do you agree that the Reds need to sign another midfielder this summer? Who would you be targeting and why? Or is there a player already at the club who can step up? Let us know here

Find more from Jordan Chamberlain at Empire of the Kop, external

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Former Liverpool forward John Barnes does not believe there is a need for Arne Slot to bolster his Premier League winners with new signings this summer.

The Reds secured a record-equalling 20th top-flight title on Sunday with a squad that contained just one summer signing.

That was Federico Chiesa, who has played a total of 33 minutes in the league this season.

"I'm not worried about the summer," said Barnes. "I'm a bit old school in thinking the solution to problems is not just signing players.

"We have won the league comfortably so why do we need to sign players? We have kept the two most important players Virgil (Van Dijk) and Mo (Salah). If we lose Trent (Alexander-Arnold) we've got Conor Bradley, that's fine."

When Jurgen Klopp ended the club's 30-year wait for a title in 2020 he bought Diogo Jota, Kostas Tsimikas and Thiago Alcantara for a combined £73m, but Barnes believes this team can still challenge next season without breaking the bank.

"Other people will catch us but I'd love to stand still because if we do we're still at the top," added Barnes.

"We don't need superstars, we have world-class players all over the pitch as we've shown."

BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty disagrees and believes Liverpool will "need new blood" this summer, especially in the full-back positions.

Do you think Slot should be looking to bring in reinforcements? If so, who and why?

Have your say

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Liverpool's Premier League title win has come sooner than anyone expected but now they need "reinforcements" to "keep moving forward", says former midfielder Danny Murphy.

The Reds confirmed their new status as 2024-25 Premier League champions on Sunday and brought boss Arne Slot the title in his first season in charge.

With the stranglehold Manchester City have had on the trophy over recent seasons and Jurgen Klopp's exit, most onlookers did not have Liverpool to be top of the pile this campaign.

"What's happened by winning the league in the first season is he's brought everything forward," Murphy told BBC Sport.

"Liverpool fans always expect to be challenging for the title and the Champions League but this win has brought it all forward much more quickly than anyone anticipated, probably even [Slot] himself.

"Yes, they need reinforcements, they need to keep moving forward, because everyone else is going to try. Especially Arsenal - I think they'll go big in the summer."

Since Slot's arrival in the summer, Liverpool have made just two signings - winger Federico Chiesa and goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

With Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk now staying, fans will be hoping the ownership invest over the summer to build on the squad's achievements this campaign.

"I think a centre-half is going to be key and probably a full-back," Murphy said. "If you think of centre-half this season, Virgil [Van Dijk] and [Ibrahima] Konate have been a phenomenal partnership but both very rarely injured.

"The other area of the pitch that's going to be really important is a centre-forward. Although I've complimented [Luis] Diaz and [Diogo] Jota for filling in there at times, I think it looks like Darwin [Nunez] is going to go, so who do they bring in?

"That's going to be the area that I think most fans are excited about seeing who they're going to bring in.

"We talk about crucial positions on the pitch – the spine if you like – centre-back and centre forward are the ones I would really like to see two established players to come in."

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We asked for your views on why you think Liverpool cruised to the Premier League with four games to spare.

Here are some of your comments:

Matt: Slot came in and instead of making wholesale changes, he tweaked a few things that made the team more efficient. He made good players play better and balanced the team well. We have also had great consistency which I think comes from the calmness that Slot brings to Liverpool. There isn't any need to panic and that shows within our style.

Ian: Titles are built on energy swings. This season, Arsenal and Man City never grabbed theirs. Arsenal and Man City never found a psychological edge all season, which meant that the energy and momentum stayed with Liverpool.

Kamal: It's a combination of several inter-related factors: The choice of Arne Slot and the transition, as well as the culture created by Jurgen Klopp and the staff. The tactics to use Ryan Gravenberch in midfield; to allow Mo Salah to focus more on attack; the rise of Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo, and the amazing goalkeeping talents of Alisson and Kelleher.

Steve: What has epitomised the season is the willingness of the players to get stuck in when the going gets tough which is where the support of the coaching staff comes in for the players. The measured approach and depth of this squad makes it the best I've seen. It almost feels like the stress of worrying about a win is taken off you as a supporter as this squad nearly always finds a way.

Lee: Jurgen laid the foundations but the team underachieved because of the high energy output. Arne has developed the style and slowed the tempo so picked up less injuries along the way, while finding a way to win most of our matches.

Chappers: Despite comments about it being an easy league, I would argue the opposite. It's been the most competitive league with Forest, Fulham and Bournemouth all raising their game and taking points off the supposed 'big six'. Liverpool have raised their game to compete week in week out while others have dropped points they would normally expect to win.

Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton believes Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch have been "different class" in Liverpool's run to the Premier League title.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday night club, Sutton said: "I don't think anybody saw him [Gravenberch] playing that deeper midfield role but it's just shown what a talented footballer he is.

"You go back to Liverpool's recruitment and in 2023 all the talk of [Jude] Bellingham coming in, they signed these three [Mac Allister, Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai] that summer and they have been the mainstays."

Ex-Reds defender Stephen Warnock agreed and thinks Arne Slot's men have the perfect balance in their midfield.

"When you talk about Mac Allister and Gravenberch, I think they compliment each other so well," he said.

"Gravenberch drives it forward and Mac Allister is more than happy to sit there. He wins the ball back well for such a small player."

Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds

BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club discusses how there was a "real thought process behind the scenes" in Liverpool's transition from Jurgen Klopp to Arne Slot, which culminated in the Reds winning a 20th top-flight title on Sunday.

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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Mo Salah has signed up again as has Virgil van Dijk and neither appears to have been even slightly diminished by age, judging by my visit to Anfield on Sunday.

The midfield of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch were incredible, both exceptional defensively and offensively - but, more importantly, playing as a duo. They must have been horrible to play against, which is a huge compliment.

Add in Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai, and the average age of the quartet is still under 25. These midfielders are just coming into their prime and are set fair to be the next generation of trophy winners

On top of this, Liverpool will undoubtedly add more quality around them, possibly even a top-level striker, improving them from a side that has romped home as champions by a country mile.

The thing that stays with me is the joy on the face of every fan post-match. How many days can you truly say, with confidence, that you will never forget for the rest of your life?‌

Wherever you travelled from, whatever you paid, if you were in that stadium, it was a day seared in the memory if you were a red.

That is why we love football, every now and again it provides those life-affirming moments - and this was one for every fan, player or worker at that club.

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A league title win like that of Liverpool's this season is always bound to throw up eye-catching numbers and records.

But one quite specific set of numbers as a result of this particular Premier League title will have piqued the interest of mathematicians and numbers fans alike.

By securing this trophy, the Reds have completed the start of an extraordinary mathematical concept that has been 33 years in the making - the Fibonacci sequence.

But what does that mean?

The Fibonacci sequence is a sequence in which each number (after the first two) is the sum of the previous two in the sequence.

By ranking Liverpool alongside the other clubs that have won the Premier League since it was first formed in 1992, listing them by the number of titles won and starting with the lowest, we can see the pattern emerge - 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13.

The reason why this is somewhat remarkable is that this is a sequence that can be found in an astonishing array of places – from the spirals of seeds on sunflower heads and the bracts of pinecones to family tree patterns in some species of animals. For it to crop up in the data on the number of Premier League title wins is surprising, and can lead to questions of whether it is just coincidence or something more.

However, with no plausible mechanism which could have given rise to the sequence, the answer is almost certainly nothing more. A pattern doesn't always mean causality - a coincidence is sometimes just a coincidence.

And so a Fibonacci sequences in the Premier League records is just that – nothing more than a spectacular but ultimately misleading coincidence.

Read more about how Liverpool's title win has completed this mysterious sequence here

Premier League champions Liverpool are set to invest heavily in their squad during the summer, with a centre-forward and left-back their priorities. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

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