Premier League legend makes bold prediction about Arne Slot at Liverpool

  • Robin van Persie gives his verdict on Arne Slot at Liverpool
  • Ex-Man Utd striker worked on his coaching staff at Feyenoord
  • 45-year-old Dutchman has taken over from Jurgen Klopp
Arne Slot has succeeded Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager
Arne Slot has succeeded Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager / BSR Agency/GettyImages
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Former Arsenal and Manchester United striker Robin van Persie has predicted that Arne Slot will do "very well" in his new role as Liverpool manager.

Van Persie, who scored 144 Premier League goals in 280 appearances between 2004 and 2015, is better placed than most to talk about Slot after spending three seasons as part of his staff.

The 45-year-old, briefly courted by Tottenham Hotspur prior to appointing Ange Postecoglou last summer, isn't well known outside his native Netherlands and most fans aren't well versed as to the kind of style and philosophy that he brings.

"I think very well," Van Persie told ESPN NL when asked how Slot might fare. "How he wants to play is in line with [Jurgen] Klopp's style of play and what they are used to there. I expect them to do very well.

"Liverpool is one of the nicer clubs in England. I have been able to play for two other very nice clubs. Slot has already been able to practice well at Feyenoord in that rhythm. But [in England], it goes very hard and fast for 11 to 11.5 months a year.

"It is a very nice, new opportunity for him. I believe it will go very well."


Robin van Persie was part of Slot's Feyenoord staff
Robin van Persie was part of Slot's Feyenoord staff / ANP/GettyImages

With Klopp stepping down due to feeling completely spent, Slot himself recently addressed the idea that managers of any top club are always on the brink of feeling overworked. But he also doesn't believe that demands and expectations at Anfield are any higher than what he has known.

"I think that almost every trainer of a top club is on the edge of being overworked. Being a head coach is a very tough job," Slot told Dutch publication Algemeen Dagblad.

"Especially at a top club with so many opinion makers in front of you every week. I really experienced this, as it turns out, last season at Feyenoord, [it] was tough."

"That would also have been the case if I had stayed at Feyenoord," he said. "Expectations at De Kuip are also high. People expect good football and good results. That has often been successful, but as a trainer you are constantly working on that."


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