Arne Slot pleased with record-breaking start at Liverpool – ‘Nearly impossible to do something special at this club!’

Arne Slot became the first Liverpool manager to win eight of his first nine games in charge after sealing a 2-0 UEFA Champions League victory over Bologna. "It's nearly impossible to do something special at this club," Slot said to TNT Sports after the game. He picked out Ryan Gravenberch for particular praise, saying the midfielder had "a big performance again".

Slot: 'Wouldn't use the word delighted' with Liverpool performance

Video credit: TNT Sports

A beaming Arne Slot said “it’s nearly impossible to do something special at this club” after Liverpool defeated Bologna in the UEFA Champions League to give the new manager a record-breaking start.

Goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah either side of half-time earned the Reds a 2-0 victory as top-tier European football returned to Anfield.

The victory was Slot’s eighth in nine games since he succeeded Jurgen Klopp in the summer, the best record of any incoming Liverpool manager.

Premier League

How Salah can surpass Rooney as Liverpool welcome United to Anfield

16/10/2025 at 14:18

“It’s nearly impossible to do something special at this club,” a smiling Slot told TNT Sports after the match.

“It says a lot about where we started off, about how the players bought into it, how much effort they put in and how much the staff helped me as well to create this start.

“I said as well that even more difficult fixtures are coming up, starting on Saturday when we play a 12:30 kick-off (against Crystal Palace live on TNT Sports and discovery+) after playing in an evening Champions League game on a Wednesday. But it’s nice to start this way, that’s clear.”

Highlights: Salah special wraps up Liverpool win over Bologna

Video credit: TNT Sports

Slot stepped into huge shoes when he succeeded Klopp in the summer after the German enjoyed a glittering nine-year reign on Merseyside, winning the Champions League and Premier League.

TNT Sports expert Peter Crouch put it to Slot that he had been impressed by how receptive the squad had been to new ideas, but the former Feyenoord boss insisted that continuity has been key to his good start.

“Not only the players, also the staff that I inherited or that stayed here. They have been positive from the start, players as well,” he said.

“Probably it has a lot to do with us not changing many things, keeping other things the same. Because they were also very happy with the former regime, so you don’t have to change a lot. The good thing is they bought into it.”

One of Slot’s most successful moves so far has been overseeing the improvement of midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, who impressed once more against Bologna.

“I was delighted with him,” Slot said.

“I don’t tell my players I’m delighted with them at half-time because there are 45 minutes to go, but I said after the game, again a big performance. He played really well.”