Liverpool manager Arne Slot needs all the help he can get from everyone at the club if he is to succeed at Anfield.
The Dutchman has massive shoes to fill after the departure of Jurgen Klopp, who has fortunately left the Reds in great shape.
The German’s successor will be grateful for that, but at the same time there are still several areas that need to be improved.
Slot will be eager to put his own spin on things at his new club, having officially taken up the role at the beginning of June.
He is currently settling into life on Merseyside, and won’t get to work with many of his players given their ongoing international duties.
Liverpool fans all in agreement as Premier League fixtures announced
But Slot has now been given a real incentive to begin his hard work at Liverpool, with the 2024/25 Premier League fixtures just announced.
READ MORE: All you need to know about Liverpool’s 2024 pre-season
The Reds will take on newly-promoted Ipswich Town at Portman Road in their opening fixture, with many Liverpool fans reacting not surprised at all that it is the early kick-off.
One fan wrote on X: “Jurgen Klopp is somewhere in Spain drinking a piña colada and laughing his head off at the fact we’ve been given 12:30 as our first game of the season.”
A second said: “So the bias of giving us many more 12.30 away matches than any team continues on the first day of the season?”
Others commented: “A 12:30 kick-off to start the season… I know Klopp is laughing at home,” and “An early kick-off with a newly promoted side is something we should get used to.”
Another added: “Liverpool getting a promoted team away at 12:30 on the opening day is incredibly funny. There’s no way this has happened by accident.”
Others on X said: “Starting the season with early kickoff is wild,” and “It’s a conspiracy.”
Another angry fan wrote: “When are you going to stand up to the Premier League re: early kos? Our opening fixture means leaving Liverpool at 0525 am on public transport.”
Are Liverpool fans right to be angry at another early kick-off?
It is becoming a common theme that Liverpool face a newly-promoted club in their first game of the new season.
That shouldn’t upset the Anfield faithful given that on paper there are several other more difficult fixtures they could have been handed to kick-start their campaign.
READ MORE: Jurgen Klopp’s most memorable quotes at Liverpool
It is, however, the early kick-off that fans have taken exception to, an issue that Klopp constantly complained about during his time at Liverpool.
Reds fans have now felt his pain even with the German having departed, but it remains to be seen if it will be a problem for Slot.
The Dutchman will be very excited for his first game in charge of the Reds, and perhaps wasn’t overly focused on who it was against and where.
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna has, however, already expressed his delight at the fixture, with the Tractor Boys back in the top flight after a 22-year absence.
Following the trip to Portman Road, Liverpool will take on Brentford at Anfield, before an away clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford.