Liverpool's Anfield redemption: how did they do it?
"Move over Sir Alex," said Anfield great Jamie Carragher in The Telegraph, there's now "no denying Liverpool are England's greatest club".
With Arne Slot's Reds clinching a record-equalling 20th title in the Dutch manager's first season at Anfield, Liverpool now sit alongside long-time rivals Manchester United as England's most prolific league winners.
After decades in the wilderness following their "relentless winning spree" from the 1970s to 1990, Liverpool's loyal supporters know the "massive symbolic importance" of this triumph can't be overstated.
'Seamless fit'
This season belongs to Slot, whose "educationist approach" to coaching was a stark contrast to his charismatic predecessor Jürgen Klopp, said The Guardian.
Slot put the emphasis on reflection and analysis, and often sparked "immediate and vast improvements in the second half" of matches. Even in losses – there have only been two in the Premier League so far – Slot is "level-headed and refreshingly honest", bringing "coolness" to the squad. This, paired with his "analytical mind", said The Independent, provided the "seamless fit" Liverpool were looking for.
What's more, Slot was able to win the league title "without a single major signing". Building on the success of Klopp, the coach deployed "clever tactical tweaks" to enhance the squad he inherited. Training sessions were rescheduled with an "earlier reporting time of 9.15am", with "compulsory" pre-session team breakfasts, said Sky News. Slot "bedded in his beliefs" from the moment he took the reins.
'Collegiate approach'
Of course, the players themselves have also been instrumental, said The Times, displaying a "collegiate approach which cannot be underplayed".
Mohamed Salah, already a prolific goalscorer, has "scaled new heights" this season, standing out with "preparation, professionalism and performance". And it is Slot's individual training sessions that seem to have drastically "reinvigorated" the player.
Alongside him, captain Virgil Van Dijk enjoyed a "renaissance season", said Caught Offside. After a "dip in form" in recent seasons, Slot's coaching appears to have returned the centre-back to his "dominant best".
But it was the team's midfield that truly "surprised this season", with players such as Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister providing an "energetic, technically gifted engine room" to ensure Liverpool's success.
With the league title sewn up, Liverpool's focus is now on new player recruitment as they hope to "go into overdrive this summer", said BBC Sport. The ultimate aim? Add yet "more power to a title-winning side".