Jamie Carragher believes new bosses Enzo Maresca and Arne Slot will compete for big prizes – and has tipped the pair to help disrupt the Premier League title race.
Slot has enjoyed an impressive start to life at Liverpool after succeeding Jurgen Klopp, with the Reds one point clear at the top of the table after seven games.
Liverpool will face a major test on Sunday when they host Chelsea at Anfield.
The visitors have shown improvement under Maresca after a turbulent couple of years, with the Italian leading his team to fourth place in the early season standings.
Liverpool legend Carragher, writing in his Telegraph column, believes Sunday’s game could be the first in a new rivalry between the two teams.
Arne Slot took Liverpool to the top of the Premier League ahead of their match against Chelsea
Maresca has enjoyed an impressive start to life at Chelsea after the club’s recent turmoil.
Carragher suggested that the respective managers have the potential to push their teams towards the title, interrupting the battles between Man City and Arsenal in recent seasons.
He cited animosity between the two teams under previous managers, including Rafael Benítez and José Mourinho, as well as battles in the transfer market.
Carragher claimed the rivalry could flare up again with Slot and Maresca as both bosses look to compete for big honours.
“Maresca and Slot are part of a new generation of managers who are more analytical than emotional, but this meeting has always had the potential to explode,” Carragher wrote.
“If the hostility returns to what it was, it will be good news for the clubs and the Premier League.”
‘Liverpool versus Chelsea has the potential to ensure that Pep Guardiola vs Mikel Arteta does not monopolize the next few years at the top of the Premier League.
“There is a lot of work to be done between Maresca and Slot to get this far, but I have a feeling that Sunday is the first of many duels between trainers who, over time, will face off for the biggest prizes.” .’
