Ex-Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink claims he is “not surprised” by Arne Slot’s strong start to life as Liverpool manager.

Some Dutch coaches have struggled to adapt outside of their own country but, speaking to Genting Casino, Hasselbaink said he did not have such concerns about Slot based on what he heard about him from others:

“To be honest, I’m not surprised by the start that Arne Slot has overseen because a lot of football people in Holland, people that I know, all told me the same thing, they expected him to be a success. He’s not typically Dutch in his style. A lot of Dutch managers can struggle outside of the Netherlands, but people told me that it would be a different story for Slot. I don’t know him personally, but you can see what he’s trying to do after five Premier League games.”

Hasselbaink says he has been very impressed by what he has seen of Slot at Liverpool so far but he still doesn’t believe they will be genuine title contenders, stating he expects them to finish behind Manchester City and Arsenal:

“His teams are very good on the press, and they’re very flexible tactically. He isn’t the type of manager that is afraid to make big decisions with his players and the starting eleven. He’s gone in and made an impact quickly. From the outside, everything looks good. I like the football I’ve seen from his team. It looks like the perfect match and the perfect replacement for Klopp. I expect Liverpool to be up there at the end of the season. I don’t think they have enough to win the title, but third place, no problem.”

Slot’s appointment has gone as well as could have been hoped

Succeeding Jurgen Klopp in the dugout was expected to be tough. The German has very big shoes to fill but Slot has made the transition seamless so far.

Based on Hasselbaink’s comments, though, it seems supporters shouldn’t have been worried about the change in manager.

Liverpool need to show they can beat the best

While the Reds currently sit top of the table, it is fair to say that they haven’t really been tested so far in their first six league games. The shock home defeat to Nottingham Forest does suggest that there is room for improvement.

Sterner examinations are yet to come but if Slot’s team do get some big wins against the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal over the coming weeks then conversations about their title credentials may begin to change.

Find out who is in Liverpool’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here