Liverpool have won an astonishing 18 of their first 20 games in all competitions under Arne Slot, following the Dutchman’s arrival at Anfield in the summer as replacement for the iconic Jurgen Klopp

Virgil van Dijk says Arne Slot was the “perfect” choice to follow Jurgen Klopp.

Incredibly, Slot has now won 18 of his first 20 games in charge across all competitions and taken Liverpool nine points clear at the top of the Premier League. Liverpool boss Slot has made a seamless transition since taking over from Klopp and is rightly winning all the plaudits for his remarkable start at Anfield.

But van Dijk has also pointed to the dressing room spirit which Slot inherited and says the club were right to appoint a manager who did not want to tear up all the foundations. Van Dijk said: “I think it was always going to be difficult to replace Jurgen for everything he did for us, as players and for the club.

“But Arne Slot has come in, done it his own way together with the staff, and started working and making sure we have the quality to improve and win games. But he makes sure we keep working, are not satisfied and focus on what is ahead of us next and keep improving.

“You see the patterns we try to do, you see we can change in games or at half-time and it’s obviously a big credit to him. So far, so good, so we just have to keep going. I think the club appointed him so I think the club decided this could be the perfect match for the group here.

“He made one addition in terms of Federico Chiesa but apart from that the group has been very tight, and over the years we have worked together and been through so much together that they thought this could be a good match on and off the pitch.

“We have the players to play how he wanted to play but still we have to execute it well. But as I said so far so good. We still have things to improve. In games we have struggled sometimes but we have found a way, found answers to difficult moments, and that is key to winning games.”

Virgil van Dijk was all smiles after the win over Manchester City ( 
Image:
Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Holland defender van Dijk acknowledged it is a big step up from Dutch football to the Premier League and that can be as difficult for a manager as it is for players. Slot moved to Liverpool from a hugely successful spell at Feyenoord and arguably his most impressive attribute has been showing a calm authority.

Liverpool look tighter in defence, arguably more dangerous in attack and Slot has tweaked things without making radical changes from Klopp’s heavy metal football. But Slot has certainly bought into the dressing room spirit at Anfield to get the best out of the squad and push them onto more glory.

It has been a remarkable start for Arne Slot at Anfield ( 
Image:
Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Van Dijk said: “I think the step from, with all respect, the Dutch league to the Premier League is a big one obviously in terms of being a player but for a manager it is exactly the same. He has come in and done very well so far and he is, in my opinion, inherited a very good squad not only as football players but as human beings – guys who will go to war for each other – and I think he has been so far so good.

“There has been a lot of tactical work but at the end of the day it is about how much we want it as players. What do you want to achieve as a group? We want to be successful and in order to be successful it is about all the hard work you put in on a daily basis to win games.

“You will have times in games when you will struggle and there were times today when we had to defend deep but we have the quality to do that as well.

“You don’t want to be frustrated and every time this season we have found an answer to difficult moments and that’s the key to success so hopefully we can keep that going.”