Paddy 'The Baddy' Pimblett backs Liverpool boss Arne Slot to win Premier League title - 'Our generation's [Bob] Paisley'

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Arne Slot has quickly endeared himself to the Liverpool faithful, and local UFC star Paddy Pimblett appears to be particularly enamoured with his team's new manager. The Reds are flying high in the Premier League and UEFA Champions League, and Pimblett has predicted that a glut of trophies could be on the horizon in the post-Jurgen Klopp era at Anfield.

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UFC star Paddy Pimblett has backed Arne Slot to guide Liverpool to the Premier League title, labelling the Dutchman "our generation's [Bob] Paisley".

Slot has made an exceptional start to life on Merseyside, winning nine of his first 11 league games to sit five points clear at the top of the table.

And Liverpool native Pimblett has spoken effusively about the club's new manager, who had the unenviable task of replacing Jurgen Klopp.

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On the chances of a Premier League title win this season, Pimblett told Liverpool.com: "I think it could happen even more now. I'm optimistic.

"At the start of the season, I was like, he's going to come in and do big things. I am an optimist.

"First season, I said [Darwin] Nunez was going to outscore [Erling] Haaland. That's how much of an optimist I am. That's how much I back my own team.

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"I've been saying to people that Klopp had to come in, he didn't have a team, he had to build it all up himself."

Though many predicted Klopp's exit would derail Liverpool, Slot has quickly steadied the ship and built on the foundations put in place by the German.

Pimblett has made comparisons with club legends Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley. The latter took over from Shankly in 1974 after a long period of success, and went on to win six league titles and four European Cups.

"Klopp is our generation's Shankly and Slot's going to come in and be our generation's Paisley," Pimblett said. "He"s going to win more than Jurgen did.

"I'm even more happy about us defending so well and not conceding many goals. It's great."

The major worry for Liverpool at present is the uncertainty surrounding the futures of Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk.

All three players are out of contract at the end of the season, but Pimblett appeared unconcerned.

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"They're definitely not all leaving," he said. "I want them all to stay. I don't want anyone to leave but I think Van Dijk and Salah are both going to stay. I think that Trent is more than likely going to go to Real Madrid."

Slot has remained coy about the futures of his key players. "The contract situation could become a problem if the players don't perform as well as they do at the moment," he said recently.

"It's also not sure that if they don't perform as good anymore that it has anything to do with the contract situation.

"At the moment, all three of them are in a good place - they all perform really, really, really well.

"There are ongoing discussions between what Virgil said are the people he had to talk with, and that's not me, as you know. I talk to him about other things. Let's wait and see."

Liverpool return to action with a trip to Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday, before hosting Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night - live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

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