Slot reaps rewards of squad built by many expert hands

After the 22-second goal came the 26-minute strike.

- RICHARD JOLLY

Arne Slot provided the definition of both an impact substitute and an instant impact when Diogo Jota scored at Nottingham Forest, with his first touch, 22 seconds after he and his provider, Kostas Tsimikas, entered proceedings. Four days later, Darwin Nunez broke the deadlock 26 minutes after his own introduction. His second goal, two minutes later, was assisted by another replacement, Harvey Elliott, 13 minutes into his cameo against Brentford.

“It's so nice for me, for us as a team, that I have players that can impact the game on the bench as well,” reflected Slot. As Liverpool resume their Champions League campaign, top of the table and with the only 100 per cent record in the competition, two of their outstanding performances in the competition came from men likely to begin on the bench against Lille tonight. When Real Madrid were beaten 2-0, Caoimhin Kelleher saved Kylian Mbappe’s penalty. And if the goalkeeper was not the man of the match, it is because Conor Bradley produced a barnstorming display.

Each forms part of a bigger picture. Liverpool now seem to have the most balanced squad in Europe; perhaps the best compiled, too. Which feels all the odder as they had a summer of inactivity, the only arrival injected straight away being Federico Chiesa, who has played one minute in the Champions League and 21 in the Premier League. Their aborted bid to bring in Martin Zubimendi risked looking a flagship failure.