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Liverpool legend Steve Nicol claimed the Reds would finish in the top four in the upcoming season. However, he feels the Merseyside club won't be challenging for the title in what will be Arne Slot's first season at the helm of the club.
Slot, the former Feyenoord manager arrived in England to replace Jurgen Klopp, who drew a curtain to his nine-year career as manager of Liverpool. The Reds were competing for several trophies at the start of the season, including the UEFA Europa League title, however, finished the 2023-24 season with just the Carabao Cup. They defeated Chelsea 1-0 in the final.
The former Champions League winners were eliminated from the Europa League following a 1-3 defeat on aggregate to Atalanta in the quarter-finals.
The Reds also failed to hold on to the Premier League title and finished third with 82 points.
The culmination of the last season also marked the end of Klopp's stint with Liverpool. With him gone, Nicol believes that the Reds would take some time to become title contenders.
Here's what he told ESPN:
"I think they will make the top four [next season]. I just don’t think they are going to be challenging for the title. I would say that and I wouldn’t call it a concern because we’ve seen with Manchester United how hard they’ve had it after Ferguson [left]."
"Klopp wasn’t quite as successful as Fergie, but it’s a similar situation. You’re replacing someone who looks as though it’s just going to be impossible to replace," he added.
Jurgen Klopp won several titles with Liverpool, including the club's sixth Champions League trophy in 2019 and their first Premier League title since 1989-90 in 2020.
Which players left Liverpool at the end of last season?
The Reds have seen several high-profile players leave in the last couple of seasons. The Merseyside club saw its captain Jordan Henderson leave after the Reds more or less decided to revamp its roster. Naby Keita and Fabinho also followed in his footsteps and left Anfield for greener pastures.
The end of the 2023-24 season saw the departure of Thiago. The former Bayern Munich midfielder featured in 97 games for Liverpool, with his last appearance coming in February 2024.
His stint with the Reds had been plagued with injuries. Following the end of the season, Thiago announced his retirement from professional football. Defender Joel Matip and goalkeeper Adrian also left the club in search of regular playing time.
