Arne Slot knew from a 'young age' he would become a manager as Liverpool boss insists he doesn't 'look up' to Jurgen Klopp

The former Feyenoord boss has spoken about getting into management and the telltale signs that he was destined for the dugout even during the early days of his playing career. The 46-year-old also admitted he doesn't revere any managers in particular, although the Dutchman respects many of them.

He told TNT Sports: "When I was quite young I trained under-sevens, under-eights, under-nines from my former amateur club. My father was also a manager at amateur level, but he also worked in a school. He was a teacher, and the good thing about being a teacher is you get lots of holidays. And when he was on holiday, he asked, ‘can you replace me as a manager at my amateur club'? Already at 21, 22, I was doing these kinds of things, and all my team-mates from my club would probably say they were not surprised I became a manager. So probably from quite a young age.”

Slot added: “That’s not how it works. If you play football you don’t look up to other players, you can enjoy what they do and how well they play, and that’s the same for managers. In modern football, there are many managers whose teams they are leading play really good football, and we can all name [them]. I don’t look up to anyone in particular because I’m not in that position. It would be a bit strange as well. That’s not to say you can’t learn, as well, or enjoy other teams, and then it’s not a bad idea to steal a few things once in a while, and that’s why we watch a lot of football.”

Slot has had a bright start since taking over at Anfield, winning all but one of his nine games in charge in all competitions. He has big shoes to fill after the departure of legendary manager Jurgen Klopp but the ex-AZ coach has impressed thus far - with the Reds currently top of the Premier League.

After the Palace match on Saturday, Slot's Liverpool side and all the other Premier League teams will head off for the international break. They return to English top-flight action at home to in-form Chelsea on October 20.