‘Slot’s Liverpool will evolve, but he can build with Salah & Van Dijk’

It looks as if Slot is going to win the Premier League in his first season, although until last weekend’s results I actually was not too confident about that, despite Liverpool’s lead at the top of the table.

The team have looked exhausted in recent weeks, with lack of rotation one of the reasons for that.

It felt as if there was far more trust in the squad in the first half of the campaign. Since then, Slot has almost reverted to a certain team and they are starting to look a bit tired, and far more vulnerable.

I am certainly not criticising Slot, because to do what he has done with a team he has inherited is still incredible, but I feel he knows he needs to strengthen and that we will see the difference next season when he has the squad depth he wants.

Even when Liverpool have looked heavy-legged, Slot has hardly given a sniff to Elliott or Federico Chiesa in midfield or up front. He either doesn’t trust them, or feels they are not suited to his system.

It’s the same with Jarell Quansah. He was on the bench against Fulham but, when Konate came off, Ryan Gravenberch dropped back to centre-half instead.

Whatever the reason, it feels almost a case where Slot is getting across the line using this squad this season, and there are going to be wholesale changes in the summer.

It makes what he has done in such a short space of time even more impressive, especially handling the contract issues of three of his biggest stars at the same time too.

Stephen Warnock was speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.