The key stat that helped Arne Slot get the Liverpool job has been revealed

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Arne Slot has been nothing short of a revelation at Liverpool.

The Dutchman has led the Reds to the top of the Premier League, and Liverpool are favourites to win the Premier League from here.

Slot was seen as something of a left-field appointment when he arrived at Anfield. After all, Liverpool initially wanted Xabi Alonso, while the Reds also considered Ruben Amorim.

Coming straight from the Eredivisie to replace one of the most legendary managers in Premier League history is a tough task, but it’s a task Arne Slot has taken head-on, and he’s thriving.

Liverpool found a gem of a manager in the shape of Slot, and according to Andy Jones, speaking on The Athletic FC Podcast, Liverpool went for Slot, partially, because of one key stat.

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The key stat that helped Arne Slot get the Liverpool job

According to Jones, Liverpool courted Slot partially because of his remarkable record of keeping his players fit.

Indeed, Jones noted that Slot has a very good record of keeping players fit, apparently boasting a 90% availability rate at Feyenoord.

“There’s a number of reasons. One of the reasons Liverpool appointed Slot was the sort of injury record that he’d had at previous clubs. Of course, Feyenoord in particular, I think it was sort of a 90% availability rate that he’d had among the squad,” Jones said.

“Crucial to that was a guy called Ruben Peeters, who he brought to Liverpool. He’s lead physical performance coach. He plays a big role in sort of periodisation, which is basically mapping our training sessions and workloads and individual workloads and individual time tables for players.

“There’s a couple of slight differences, I think, in terms of Liverpool’s play style in general. I think it is more controlled, certainly at times during games under slot than it was under the club and there’s no right or wrong way about that. But if you are playing less intense football, that usually will lead to less injuries.

“But also the training is a bit longer, but it’s less intense. So it’s all sort of just managing those things. And there’s been little things that have been introduced, like wellness checks, body wake up activities, such as yoga and hydrotherapy, and there’s more individual time in the gym and stuff like that.”

Liverpool injuries this season

Jones noted that Slot has an excellent record when it comes to keeping his players fit, and this has been evident this season.

Indeed, Liverpool have, by-and-large, been able to keep most of their star players fit this season.

Of course, as ever, there have been a handful of injuries, but, for the most part, these have been limited problems for players who, sadly, do have a history of being injured.

Many of Liverpool’s most important players haven’t missed a game this season.

Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister, Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Luis Diaz have been, pretty much, ever-present this season.

Meanwhile, many of Liverpool’s rivals are struggling through injury crises.

Kai Havertz is out for the season, adding to Arsenal’s injury woes, while Manchester City have had plenty of injury problems this season, particularly in their defence.

Injuries can be the difference at the highest level, and Slot seems to have cracked the code in terms of keeping key players fit and available at all times.