Half of The Top Four Is Under New Management

Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta continue to battle as their clubs vie for the Premier League title. Neither of their clubs is currently topping the table, however, and a potential new challenger has now crashed the top four. Both that new challenger and the current Premier League leader are under new management as Arne Slot and Enzo Maresca are off to better starts than their club supporters could have ever hoped for.

Liverpool, of course, was expected to contend after Jurgen Klopp bequeathed a talented roster which ran third behind Manchester City and Arsenal last season. No one, however, expected the transition to Slot’s regime to go so smoothly that the Reds would sit above those two to this admittedly early point in the season. Without making wholesale changes, the former Feyenoord manager has instituted a bit more caution into Klopp’s helter skelter gameplan. Attack minded fullbacks Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson have been challenged to attend more to their defensive responsibilities. A double pivot of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch provides additional cover in front of a back line that was showing leakage as the Klopp regime wound down. The stronger defensive shape has led to only two goals being conceded to date in Liverpool’s seven Premier League matches. By comparison, Arsenal has conceded six times and Manchester City has leaked eight goals to date.

On the attack, Liverpool has been more judicious in its attempts. Big chance creation, those goal attempts where a player is expected to score, are up even though shots are down more than eight shots per match in the first seven contests under Slot versus the final seven matches under Klopp. Culture wise, there has been little drama during the transition so far and Mohamed Salah seems much happier now that he is out from under his deteriorating relationship with former manager Klopp. All seems well after the club has won nine of its first ten matches across all competitions under Slot. The true test, of course, will be when inevitable adversity is encountered at some point during this long season.

Another positive manager story is unfolding at Stamford Bridge. When Slot’s legendary predecessor, Jurgen Klopp, announced his departure last January, Liverpool fans had several months to acclimate to the idea of a regime change before the May announcement of Slot’s appointment. Things were a bit more jarring for Chelsea. Mauricio Pochettino had just overseen a strong season ending run of five consecutive victories by his young Chelsea squad, capping a run of 15 games where Chelsea lost just once as a difficult start to the 2023/24 season quickly faded into memory. Then two days after the final match Pochettino was gone, purportedly a mutual decision between the Argentine and Chelsea club ownership based on irreconcilable differences. Pochettino, who stayed just one season at Chelsea, is now in his early days  of managing the United States National Team and already voicing aspirations that he would really like to be managing Argentina.

Less than a month after Pochettino’s abrupt departure, Chelsea fans learned their new manager would be Enzo Maresca. The Italian won the Championship in his own one season at Leicester, admittedly limping a bit across the finish line to the consternation of Fox fans. Maresca had failed miserably in his one other top job with Parma where he was fired less than halfway through his maiden season. A presumed big selling point for Chelsea ownership was the Italian’s time spent on the staff of Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola.

There was some understandable doubt among Chelsea supporters as to whether they were seeing an upgrade on the touchline from the vastly more experienced Pochettino. There can be little complaint thus far. Maresca has Chelsea back in the top four and his club is performing in exciting fashion. Only Manchester City has scored more goals than Chelsea this season. This week Maresca was named the Premier League Manager of the Month for September. The new manager has been quick to assert himself at Chelsea and has taken controversially hard stands to cast veteran players Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell from his plans for the season.

On the pitch, Maresca has implemented three key changes. His club uses a short passing game focused on build up play and possession versus the more aggressive transition-based style of Pochettino. Secondly, one of Maresca’s two fullbacks will invert in attack seeking to create a numbers advantage in midfield. Finally, much to the delight of supporters, rising star Cole Palmer is featured in a number 10 role where he can be even more influential than under Pochettino where he was spending time on the right wing. The former Manchester City player was also recognized Friday, being named the Premier League Player of the Month.

While Palmer’s star continues to rise, other young players such as Noni Madueke and Niclas Jackson are also showing improvement. Even defensive midfielder Moises Caicedo appears more comfortable in Maresca’s disciplined system and is showing flashes of the star he once was at Brighton.

There is a long season ahead as the new Chelsea and Liverpool managers get to take a breath during this international break. Both should feel good, however, at their performance so far.