Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand and guests named four Liverpool players in his Premier League team of the season so far.
The Reds have been the standout side under Arne Slot in the Premier League this season with Liverpool leading the way by six points from second-placed Arsenal and have a game in hand on all their close rivals.
Slot could not have wished for a better start at Anfield after leaving Eredivisie side Feyenoord in the summer to replace the departing Jurgen Klopp.
Klopp left him a settled side with Federico Chiesa, who has hardly played this season, the only addition at Liverpool in the summer transfer window.
Arsenal have had a decent season, while Chelsea under Enzo Maresca have done much better than many expected, as champions Manchester City have fallen away.
And speaking on his own YouTube channel, Ferdinand, along with ex-Man Utd team-mate Owen Hargreaves, former Chelsea midfielder Jody Morris and fellow presenter Joel Beya, picked their team of the season so far.
Although Beya threw Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher into the mix, a consensus was reached over Arsenal’s David Raya as their goalkeeper.
Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold and Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella were selected in the full-back positions, while Virgil van Dijk and Arsenal’s William Saliba were chosen at centre-back.
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Arsenal duo Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Magalhaes were also given honourable mentions as potential defenders before Moises Caicedo and Ryan Gravenberch were selected as the two midfielders behind a front three with a lone centre-forward.
Chelsea star Cole Palmer was selected in the middle and was joined by Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah on the right-hand side before Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka was selected out of position on the left to ensure his place in their team.
Despite Man City’s terrible season, Erling Haaland – who has scored 13 goals in 18 Premier League appearances this term – was the final man chosen in their Premier League team XI of the season so far.
Before Ferdinand argued that Enzo Maresca, and not Liverpool boss Slot, has been the manager of the season in the Premier League.
Ferdinand added: “Arne Slot has been amazing, don’t get me wrong.
“But he’s taken over a very good team, stable team, stable club. The manager said he’s leaving months before he’s leaving, able to prepare, hasn’t gone mad in the transfer in the transfer window in terms of recruitment.
“[Slot] comes into a well-oiled machine already, yet stuttering a bit. [He] tweaked a few things, nothing crazy, which is, I think, an art itself, which I give them credit for and they’re flying.
“Maresca has come into a circus. We spoke about before back end of last season they were a great bit of form. But nonetheless, kamikazee circus season, right? Everyone going, “where they’re going to be. They could finish 20th, they could finish 10th, they could finish second”. All over the place.
“Having to deal with saga after saga [he] absolutely settles the ship and they’re flying. Most chances created, most shots on goal, most goals, etc, entertaining to watch, the lot.”
