Arne Slot, the Dutch manager of Liverpool, expressed his immense pride after guiding the club to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title with a commanding 5-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on April 27, 2025. The result secured Liverpool’s first Premier League title since 2020, with four games still remaining in the season, marking a spectacular debut year for Slot at the helm.
This triumph saw Liverpool level with Manchester United as the most successful club in English top-flight history. The Reds had been dominant all season, with Slot’s arrival from Feyenoord in the summer of 2024 sparking a revival in form. Since taking charge, Liverpool had lost only two of their 34 league matches, making Slot’s first season a resounding success, especially considering the task of succeeding Jurgen Klopp, a manager who had left a massive legacy at Anfield.
The party began in front of an ecstatic home crowd at Anfield, with goals from Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo, and Mohamed Salah, plus an own goal from Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie. Slot had made it clear that winning the title in front of Liverpool’s passionate supporters was of paramount importance, and he was relieved to see the job completed in front of the Anfield faithful.
Slot commented, “It was clear we couldn’t lose this game. Everyone on the bus said there’s no way we’re going to lose this game. They always find a way to win.” He was particularly moved by the scenes at the stadium, noting how different it felt compared to the 2020 title win, when the fans had been unable to celebrate in person due to the pandemic. “The fans being here is what makes it special. Five years ago they won the league. It was an amazing accomplishment, but the fans weren’t there. So you can feel how important it was for them to be here today,” he added.
The match had a slightly rocky start when Tottenham’s Dominic Solanke scored early, but Slot remained confident in his team’s ability to respond. “It wasn’t ideal, but it didn’t take me long to trust these players, they always come back, they always find a way to win,” he said. His confidence in the team’s resilience was clearly justified as Liverpool quickly turned the game around.
While Slot took pride in his achievement, he was quick to credit the collective effort behind the success. “Incredibly proud, not only of the players but the people standing here, sport directors, my staff members, we should give them a big round of applause,” he said. He also reminded everyone that this was the second league title in five years, highlighting how impressive Liverpool’s continued dominance in English football had been in recent seasons.
The title had seemed inevitable for months, as Liverpool had built up an insurmountable lead over competitors like Arsenal and Manchester City. Slot’s ability to end Manchester City’s four-year reign as champions was a historic achievement, and he became the first Dutch manager to win the Premier League. In addition, he was only the fifth manager in history to secure the title in his first season in charge of an English club.
When asked how he managed to make the title win seem almost effortless, Slot modestly deflected praise. “That’s not only my job, it’s the job of the players and the staff members standing over there and the work Jurgen left behind over here,” he explained. “The culture of the team, the work rate, the quality was outstanding. We all knew that. We started off really well and it maybe helped a bit that City had a difficult spell, which they hadn’t had in five years.”
Despite some doubts about Liverpool’s ability to reclaim the title after their third-place finish the previous season, Slot never wavered in his belief that the team could return to the top. He had set modest expectations at the start of the season, admitting that making the Champions League places would have been a good achievement. However, his players proved they were far better than that, showing their true potential with an exceptional season.
After the title was sealed, Slot was true to his word about not getting too carried away, although he did indulge in a brief celebratory dance in front of the Kop stand, much to the amusement of his players.
