The position envisaged by the Guardian writers: 3rd (NB: this is not necessarily Andy Hunter's prediction but the average of our writers' tips)
Last season's position: 3rd
Perspectives
There are few guarantees with a high-profile succession, but it's a safe bet that Anfield will be home to one of the most intriguing stories in the history of football. Premier League 2016-17 season. Liverpool have lost a manager who was adored by The Kop, and not for the first time. The club will now hope that Arne Slot will prove to be a replacement more akin to Bob Paisley than Graeme Souness.
Liverpool are not prepared for a shock like Souness; that is also true given that it was the prospect of continuity and fine-tuning a squad built by Jurgen Klopp that attracted the club to Slot. The former Feyenoord manager emerged as the leading candidate after a meticulous recruitment process overseen by new sporting director Richard Hughes. Liverpool The club is confident that a relatively young team that was in title contention earlier than expected last season but then faded down the stretch can deliver more. Slot's rich legacy also includes a return to the Champions League after a year's absence. He is expected to keep the club there.
The Liverpool manager has claimed that the team were only narrowly outclassed by Manchester City and Arsenal last season, and his stated aim is to make the minimum improvement needed to win the Premier League. Slot's hands-on approach in training and more possession-based tactics have been welcomed in pre-season, as has the 45-year-old himself behind the scenes, with Liverpool's midfielders particularly delighted with the freedom he has allowed them.
But it is hardly ideal that Slot has started work in a summer that features the European Championship and Copa America. He will have had the entire Liverpool first-team squad together for just 11 days before his Premier League debut against Ipswich. At least the initial schedule looks encouraging, on paper, and offers the chance to make an impression straight away.