Liverpool face a big weekend of Premier League action as they head to Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.
The Reds know it could be a vital few days in the title race, as Arsenal host Manchester City on Sunday.
If Liverpool can get the win over the in-form Cherries, they can sit back as their two potential rivals for the championship slug it out.
Arne Slot rested virtually his full starting XI against PSV Eindhoven in midweek and Liverpool should be refreshed and ready for their challenge on the south coast.
Ahead of the fixture, Gary Lineker visited the Liverpool training ground for a catch-up with Slot and to gauge the feeling within the Reds camp.
And looking back on that recent visit, Lineker has admitted that something really struck him about what he witnessed.
Gary Lineker praises Liverpool atmosphere
Lineker will leave his iconic role as host of Match of the Day at the end of the current season.
Liverpool fans will be hoping that the legendary presenter signs off with the title heading to Anfield. And speaking on The Rest Is Football, Lineker suggested that he believes that will be the case.
Asked by co-host Micah Richards to name the thing that came across the most about Slot during his visit, the pundit then hailed the togetherness and ‘joy’ within the Liverpool squad.
“Assuredness, a confidence, you can see how organised he is, how he understands the game really well tactically,” Lineker raved.
“The calmness as well I thought was interesting because a lot of coaches are kind of energetic and you don’t see that from him.
“But what struck me the most about being inside the training ground was the culture and the way everybody was,” added the former England striker.
“You would expect this when things are going really well, but there was a real kind of joy about the place, a bit of camaraderie.
“All of the players came down to say hello, or most of them. They’ve got a really good culture there and that’s one of the great testaments – and Slot said this himself – to Jurgen Klopp and what he left behind there. But I think what comes across most about Slot is his absolute love for the game and the tactical side of the game.”
Lineker opens up on Slot padel match
As well as sitting down to talk football, Slot also challenged Lineker to a match on the AXA Training Centre’s notorious padel courts.
“Arne Slot asked me if I played padel, but I’d never played it, I didn’t even know the rules,” Lineker explained. “So, I said why not.”
“He was great actually. He just basically taught me the rules and we had a knock about, he had me running around because he’s a good player!
“But what a lovely guy, Arne Slot, genuinely, he gave me so much time. We went and sat in the changing room and just chatted football for half an hour with him and his coaching staff.”
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