Arne Slot just received boost he needed most as Liverpool change pays dividends again

Twelve games into the new era at Liverpool; 11 wins. Arne Slot could not have started much better than this, though the shock Nottingham Forest defeat looks stranger and stranger by the week.

This time, it was RB Leipzig, the high-flying Bundesliga outfit, that Liverpool was able to come out on top against. Darwin Nunez scored the only goal of the game and the Reds' defense was able to stand strong once again. So far under Slot, Liverpool has conceded just six goals in all competitions — one every other game on average.

That new-found stability is clearly the biggest change since last season. Under Jurgen Klopp, games were perhaps more exciting, but less likely to lead to silverware. That simply cannot be an accusation here.

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In some ways, Liverpool rode its luck near the end in eastern Germany. Lois Openda was even more prone to being offside than Nunez often is, and one or two better decisions from Xavi Simons would have changed things. Caoimhin Kelleher was required to pull off a string of impressive saves, and Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk were busier than usual.

Liverpool backed itself to earn another clean sheet, though, and successfully got over the line. Already this season, Liverpool has kept the opposition out six times; it took until November 30 last season to reach the same number of shutouts, and two of those came in relatively easy Europa League group matches. Take Union SG and LADK out of the equation, and it took until December 17.

Had the referee, Sandro Scharer, not failed to spot an obvious foul on Nunez near the end of the first half, the Reds could have made it 2-0 and killed things early. Not needing to look for an excuse, the bizarre call — and subsequent brushing over from the VAR — didn't prove costly.

It isn't yet known whether or not Diogo Jota will be back from his latest injury in time to face Arsenal at the weekend, but it would appear unlikely that will be the case. If he isn't, it will be Nunez leading the line again.

Given the importance of the game at the Emirates Stadium, losing Jota in the week leading up to it and potentially being without him would have been far more of a concern had Nunez not found some form. Against Chelsea and Leipzig, now, he has been excellent. Scoring the vital goal in the second of those matches, the South American also put the hard yards in out of possession, offering the ideal boost at the perfect time.

Slot has demanded more from Nunez in terms of his overall game since arriving this summer, regularly holding meetings with the forward to get more from him. Already, it appears that those conversations are paying dividends.

Liverpool has changed its style sufficiently that clean sheets are arriving more regularly than last season, but that only makes it even more important that the chances that the Reds create are taken. Right now, Slot's defense, plus Nunez and the rest of the forward line, are proving to be an unstoppable combination.