The atmosphere inside Liverpool has now really changed after two players left in the summer

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Liverpool had a summer of upheaval this year, with plenty of changes taking place within the playing squad.

Having been so underwhelming for much of last season, it was clear that a switch-up was necessary. In the end this came with a number of departures, some expected, some not.

One of the most unexpected changes was the exit of long-standing captain Jordan Henderson. With vice-captain James Milner also leaving, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold stepped into their shoes.

And according to the Liverpool ECHO, this has actually led to a positive difference inside the club. They claim that while Henderson and Milner in particular were known for their tendency to punish missteps such as being late or using mobile phones, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold have eased off on this.

Rather, the two new leaders are said to have been keen to ‘foster a culture of collective responsibility.’ With ‘self-policing’ now the name of the game, it’s claimed that a more ‘serene’ atmosphere has taken hold within Liverpool.

Different, not better

Because of how poor Liverpool were last season, it could be easy to see this little change as being completely positive. A shift away from Henderson and Milner’s slightly disciplinarian take was perhaps needed.

However, that shouldn’t erase that for much of the previous eight years, the two had led Liverpool to near-enough every trophy possible.

Their strong leadership allowed Jurgen Klopp to be slightly less hands-on than he might have been and meant the dressing room very much took care of itself.

The fantastic work both Henderson and Milner did at the club will mark them out as true Liverpool legends over time.

Nevertheless, there comes a point when things have to move on. It isn’t hard to imagine this new Liverpool side evolving with their two stalwarts still leading the way, but Van Dijk and Trent now feel like a more natural fit.

Of course, the real test will be if Liverpool are able to win anything with this new-look approach.

So far, things have been going well. But when the going gets tough, perhaps Virgil and Trent will need to find some of that Hendo and Milly spirit.

Thankfully, they still have a certain Andy Robertson around, too. If anyone is to fill that role, you feel it’ll be the Scotland captain. Until then, this new, serene Liverpool seems to be working.