Mohamed Salah sealed a 2-0 victory against Bologna

A brilliant strike from Mohamed Salah sealed a 2-0 victory against Bologna in the Champions League on Wednesday to make Arne Slot the first Liverpool manager to win eight of his opening nine matches.

Slot has made a flying start to his reign after replacing the charismatic Jurgen Klopp, and Liverpool’s second successive victory in this season’s Champions League was another landmark moment for the Dutchman.

Alexis Mac Allister gave Liverpool the lead at Anfield in the first half before Salah bagged his 49th Champions League goal in the closing stages. Already sitting top of the Premier League six matches into the new season, the understated Slot has ensured Liverpool haven’t missed a beat since the end of Klopp’s successful and popular reign.

Even Klopp, Kenny Dalglish, Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley could not gather as much at the start of their spells in command of the Reds.

“It says a lot about how we started, how the players bought into it and the effort put in. It’s hardly impossible to do something special at this club,” Slot said.

“We’ve kept many things the same, the players were very happy with former regimes. It’s nice to start this way, that’s clear.”

Liverpool opened their European account with a 3-1 win against AC Milan. This was another confident display in Slot’s first taste of a Champions League evening at Anfield.
Slot, who played Feyenoord manager in the Champions League, explained that he wanted to create a “special night”, and surely the history-maker win lived it up.

The manager at Liverpool, he won the crown in the Champions League in 2019 and reached the finals in both 2018 and 2022, intervening with a host of iconic moments.

For one, Slot’s assured start already has the six-time kings of Europe dreaming of another memorable Champions League campaign.

“It wasn’t an easy one, in my opinion Bologna made it difficult. The last pass could have been better,” Slot said.

Generally a good result, but for my part I wouldn’t use the word ‘delighted’.

“There are even more difficult fixtures coming up, starting on Saturday when we play a 12.30pm kick-off-at Crystal Palace-after a Wednesday evening Champions League game.”

Bologna, the surprise qualifiers for the Champions League after an absence of 60 years, fought gamely but lack the cutting edge to pull off the ultimate fairy tale.

Mac Allister had spoken this week of his delight at being given more freedom by the tactics of Slot than in the more rigid system laid out by Klopp. He came in off the right flank, gliding past Juan Miranda with ease, before curling a super strike into the far corner from 18 yards.