IT'S TIME TO POUR CASH INTO SLOT MACHINE

Champions must strengthen in readiness for title defence

- By David Anderson

AFTER emulating Joe Fagan by winning the title in his debut season, Arne Slot must follow him again.

Fagan was the last Liverpool manager to help the club retain the top-flight crown, in 1984, while Bob Paisley is the only man to win it twice in a row at Anfield.

It is a rare achievement and only Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola have pulled it off in the Premier League era.

Liverpool's title defence in 2020-21 imploded, partly due to having to play without the home fans their 12th man because of Covid and key defender Virgil van Dijk's season-ending knee injury.

Slot aims to ensure they do better next season and the title race looks more open than it has for years. Will Manchester City come back under Pep Guardiola after they abruptly ran out of steam in October?

Will Arsenal sign the striker they badly need and finally go one step higher than runners-up?