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Liverpool have defied all expectations under Arne Slot since the Dutchman took over from Jurgen Klopp in the summer.
Make no mistake, the German tactician did leave his replacement a stellar squad to work with ahead of the 2024/25 season. Contrasted against the squad the now Red Bull employee inherited back in 2015, the difference couldn’t be more stark.
But few could have possibly predicted that the former Feyenoord boss would have his new side topping the tree ahead of Christmas (in Europe and the Premier League).
It’s hardly been a cakewalk either for Slot given he’s already faced the champions of Europe and the English top-flight in Real Madrid and Manchester City respectively.
Steve McManaman surprised by Liverpool results
Steve McManaman admitted he himself has been ‘surprised’ with the manner in which Liverpool have gone about their business in the Champions League.
A 1-0 win over Girona, even if the performance fell below the head coach’s expectations, saw us make it six wins out of six in Europe.
“Any European night is difficult and Liverpool have made it look easy. All in all, Arne Slot can do what he wants in the last couple of games now [in the Champions League league stage],” the former Red spoke on TNT Sports (via BBC Sport).
“I thought Slot’s transition would be seamless but I have been surprised by the results.
“To go away and beat Bayer Leverkusen and other teams then beat them comfortably, that has been surprising.”
Slot will demand more from his squad upon their return to Premier League action this weekend. Nonetheless, a 1-0 win against Girona was yet another important show of this Liverpool’s side’s remarkable ability to produce victories out of thin air.
In a title race now also contested by Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City, that relentless drive will need to extend into the New Year if we’re to have any hope of bringing the league title back to Merseyside this term.
More must-reads:
- Jose Mourinho returns to Benfica: A full circle moment for the 'Dark Lord of Football'
- Liverpool's last-gasp wins are anything but a fluke
- The 'Switch-hitter single-season HR leaders' quiz
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Manchester United stars baffled by Ruben Amorim’s handling of this English star at Old Trafford
Manchester United players are surprised by Ruben Amorim’s handling of Kobbie Mainoo Kobbie Mainoo’s future at Manchester United is up in the air, as he is rarely finding game time under Ruben Amorim. The 20-year-old midfielder is not the first pick of the manager, as he feels that his direct competition is with United captain Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese manager has not trusted the English international as a defensive midfielder in his 3-4-2-1 system. Amorim has earlier called Mainoo a work in progress and hinted that he still needs to adapt to the system. The Englishman wanted to leave on loan in the summer, but United decided that they wouldn’t be offloading him unless they signed a proper replacement for him. In the 2025/26 Premier League season so far, Mainoo has played just two matches with an average of 36 minutes. Meanwhile, the club continues to struggle this season. The Red Devils have won just one game out of the four matches in the Premier League, and League 2 team Grimsby Town also knocked them out of the Carabao Cup on penalties. Ruben Amorim is under a lot of pressure as his side finished 15th in the league last season, and is currently 14th in the league table. TalkSPORT journalist Alex Crook has reported that United players are surprised that Ruben Amorim is not using Mainoo consistently in the starting lineup. Crook reported that the players expected that the 20-year-old would play a more important part in the team this season, as United are looking to build a new project. The report also reveals that some players within the dressing room are questioning Amorim’s decision not to play such a talented player even when the team is struggling. The players feel that the English midfielder could strengthen the squad with his quality and talent at this age. Why should Amorim play Mainoo? Kobbie Mainoo, at this moment, can turn out to be the potential solution to United’s midfield woes. The 20-year-old possesses composure, situational awareness, creativity and is especially good at tight spaces. Amorim’s rigid 3-4-2-1 formation is actually sidelining Mainoo’s qualities and traits. The Portuguese manager needs to change his tactics to accommodate the Englishman, and needs to give him the freedom as a number eight or can use him in a three-man midfield in his 4-3-3 formation. Amorim needs to make use of his ability to carry the ball forward as a box-to-box midfielder. If Mainoo does not get consistent game time, he will put pressure on United to let him leave and refuse to sign a new contract, as his place in the World Cup 2026 squad will be in danger without proper game time. There is no doubt that United will lament losing a talent like Mainoo in the future. There is no scarcity of suitors for a talent like Mainoo. Real Madrid are one of the clubs that want the talented midfielder.United can look to sell 30-year-old Bruno Fernandes if they receive a very high bid from Saudi clubs, which they can use to sign a defensive midfielder like Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton. United can then use Mainoo in the creative role. Fans will now have to wait and see if Amorim does make the desired changes to turn around the current situation.
Packers' concerning Tucker Kraft news comes at worst time possible
Ahead of an away Week 3 matchup against the Cleveland Browns, the Green Bay Packers were dealt a demoralizing blow in Thursday’s practice. Per ESPN’s Robert Demovsky, tight end Tucker Kraft has suffered a knee injury of unknown severity. It doesn’t sound great. The mere mention of “season-ending,” even preceded by “not,” is enough to send chills down the spines of Packers fans. Labeled a breakout candidate by many, Kraft was coming off a massive game against the Washington Commanders and is an integral part of the offense. Moreover, after losing Jayden Reed last week, Green Bay would benefit from having its more experienced targets available. Rookies Matthew Golden and Savion Williams are still finding their roles. Hopefully for Kraft and the Packers, he hasn’t suffered anything serious, but his status for Sunday is certainly up in the air. No Reed, possibly no Kraft. Still no Christian Watson. That's concerning for the Packers. Tucker Kraft going down now is an emotional blow more than anything On the bright side, the Packers might not need as much offensive firepower to hold off the Browns this Sunday. The Cleveland defense is strong, but so is Green Bay’s. Keeping the Browns’ Joe Flacco-led offense in check should not be the most formidable task in the world. If Micah Parsons — who has been unbelievably impressive thus far in Green Bay — and the defense can make Flacco uncomfortable and stymie opposing drives, the Packers offense won’t have to do as much. As of Thursday afternoon, Green Bay remains around a 7.5-point road favorite. The total is set at 41.5 across the board. Thus, a potential Kraft absence might not hit so hard this week. It’s more about what those tests indicate about his status moving forward. The possibility of losing Kraft for any extended period is an emotional crusher. Days after Reed had two surgeries is not the time to lose another key target. In Golden and Williams, plus Dontayvion Wicks and Romeo Doubs as resident “veterans,” the Packers' receiver room still has weapons, but its depth is being tested early.
Bombshell report expands on culture issues within 0-2 Dolphins
A Wednesday report shared that the Miami Dolphins "did a lot of work in the offseason to try to transform their team culture" before they opened the ongoing campaign with back-to-back losses. For a lengthy piece published on Thursday, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN expanded on alleged culture issues that have impacted the Dolphins under head coach Mike McDaniel, who has been in his role since 2022. Mike McDaniel hasn't run a tight ship with Dolphins "Multiple sources in and around the team said tardiness was an issue throughout this past season," Louis-Jacques revealed. "...One current Dolphins player said he believed some captains this past season took advantage of the role. [Cornerback Jalen Ramsey] and wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who were two of the eight players voted captains in 2024, were among repeat offenders who received numerous fines throughout the season. Players were often late to practice and meetings, with multiple team sources suggesting it reflected a lack of respect for the first-time coach McDaniel -- who was hesitant to publicly admonish players outside of posting fines." On Wednesday, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler noted that Dolphins players "believe the culture is better after the franchise moved on from several key players, many of whom did not appear happy there." Specifically, Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith were traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a pick swap in June. Safety Jevon Holland left the Dolphins and signed with the New York Giants in free agency. As for Hill, questions about his dedication to the cause arose when he subbed himself out of Miami's regular-season finale and then told reporters that he was "out" this past January. He later publicly apologized for his actions but has remained the subject of trade rumors through September. Are McDaniel and Dolphins general manager Chris Grier on the hot seat? Whispers throughout the offseason suggested Dolphins owner Stephen Ross could part ways with McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier if the club finished this season without at least a playoff appearance. McDaniel has yet to guide the Dolphins to a single postseason win, and his team was coming off an 8-9 campaign before it dropped two straight games this month. "A source familiar with Ross' thinking told ESPN this offseason they don't believe McDaniel's and Grier's job security is as simple as 'playoffs or bust,' and reiterated that sentiment after Week 1," Louis-Jacques wrote. "...Although there is a limit to [Ross'] patience with the team's results. After a winless start to the 2025 season, and prime-time games against division opponents coming, there will be increased outside attention on how far Ross' patience will stretch." As of Thursday morning, ESPN BET had the winless Dolphins as massive 11.5-point road underdogs for Thursday night's game at the 2-0 Buffalo Bills. One can't help but wonder how Ross may react if Miami gets blown out at Buffalo's Highmark Stadium.
Scout identifies key issue behind Arch Manning's underwhelming start
To overcome his early struggles, Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning should follow a classic bit of advice from former UCLA Bruins men's basketball head coach John Wooden. Wooden once said, "Be quick, but don't hurry." The tip could make a massive difference for Manning, who has completed a below-average 55.3 percent of his passes through three starts. Longtime scout Todd McShay explains how Arch Manning is rushing while reading defenses In a story published Thursday, McShay explained the QB is trying to read defenses too quickly. Rushing this process is affecting his throwing mechanics, which have been scrutinized throughout the season. "When a quarterback is pressing, the game is moving faster in his mind, which can cause rushed mechanics and inaccurate passes," McShay wrote. "There's no rhythm — it's like watching a frustrated golfer swing or tracking the beats of a broken metronome." Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt, a former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback, shared a similar assessment of Manning. On a Wednesday episode of his podcast, Klatt further explained how this can impact his accuracy. "He's going from one to two before the picture ever materializes. He's ahead of the timing of the offense," Klatt said. "When that happens, you typically lose balance, you lose your pocket presence, your eyes go down because you're anticipating; the clock is moving too fast." Now, this issue seems fixable. It's just a matter of Manning taking a deep breath and assessing what the defense is giving him. When he does that, the results have looked good. He did so when he threw an 83-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Parker Livingstone in a Week 2 win over San Jose State. In his Monday news conference, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said these "rhythm throws" are when Manning is at his best. It's incumbent upon him and his staff to create those opportunities for the 21-year-old QB. Hitting on more of those groove throws will be critical for Manning in Saturday's home game against Sam Houston State at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+, SEC Network+). It will help him build his confidence and slow down. When that happens, the game should start coming more easily to him and the rest of Texas' 88th-ranked passing offense (200.3).
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