Arne Slot's Liverpool are built for the quadruple: Rampant Reds are better equipped to run the table than under Jurgen Klopp

It's worth noting that, prior to Klopp's appointment back in 2015, Liverpool's modern cup triumphs were few and far between. After the miracle of Istanbul to win the 2005 Champions League, the Reds won only two trophies for the next decade - the 2006 FA Cup and the 2012 League Cup.

Even when the German rocked up on Merseyside, tangible success took a while to follow. Even despite reaching the 2018 Champions League final and nurturing a young team punching above its weight, questions were asked of Klopp and whether he could deliver glory. Which, you know, seemed utterly ridiculous then, but even more so with the benefit of hindsight.

The 2018-19 campaign proved pivotal to changing that narrative for good. Liverpool would end the season as champions of Europe again, while they recorded the highest-ever Premier League points tally for a team finishing second (97). Their only defeat came away at eventual table-toppers Manchester City, and if that result had been flipped, then Klopp's men would have won the title undefeated and having reached 100 points.

Something special was brewing at Anfield. Over the next five years of Klopp's reign, Liverpool would add six further trophies to their cabinet, and arguably that undersells just how good those teams were.

Liverpool first flirted with the quadruple in 2021-22. To this point, Klopp had been accused of showing the domestic cups a lack of respect. In typical fashion for a legend of the game, he shut everyone up by winning both in the same season.

Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea fell twice to the Reds in Wembley finals on penalties, though Liverpool were not so fortunate in their pursuits of the Premier League and Champions League, again losing out to City by a point in the former before falling once more to Real Madrid in the latter.

Klopp's rock-and-roll style meant that for all of Liverpool's attacking brilliance, they were usually exposed going the other way. That Tuchel's Blues lost both cup finals in 2021-22 didn't seem a fair reflection on how well they attacked across over 240 minutes of football, only failing to score due to a string of gaffes and errors in front of goal.

After Klopp announced his plans to step down in January 2024, it appeared to give his squad a new lease of life, despite an extensive injury list combined with an exhausting schedule. When a youthful side ousted Chelsea, at this point now managed by Mauricio Pochettino, in the Carabao Cup final, it seemed for all the world the German's farewell tour would end with multiple trophies.

Alas, Liverpool ran out of steam. Their Premier League title charge fell apart with a run of one win in five through April, while Atalanta dumped them out of the Europa League on their own journey to the trophy. The red half of Merseyside have, meanwhile, done their best to ensure everyone's memories of their FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Manchester United have been wiped in 'Men In Black' style.

Slot's crowning achievement to this point is his Liverpool team have taken on a natural evolution from Klopp's final iteration. There has been no transition period, no need to bed in. He's come in, got to work and is likely to reap the rewards for it with silverware.

The differences between the sides of 2023-24 and 2024-25 have been analysed aplenty, but it'll be a whole different proposition once we get to the business end of the season. Theoretically, Slot's Liverpool ought to have the tactical flexibility and consistency needed to take home at least one or two honours, let alone the possibility of going all the way with the quadruple.

There is a methodical-ness about this team that simply couldn't exist in the frantic and frenzied Klopp ones. When manager of Swansea, Carlos Carvalhal proclaimed his tactic to slow down Liverpool was to ensure that their Formula 1 car couldn't speed through traffic. It takes more than a deep block to stump Slot and Co this year.

All three starting midfielders signed in Klopp's final summer transfer window - Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch - have improved this season, each providing the perfect complement for another. There is now much-needed depth all across the pitch. They also aren't completely liable to quick transitions, which was a major hindrance under Klopp. This is before you even factor in what their star man has been doing.

Though Liverpool are more well-rounded as a collective, you can't overlook the leading contributions of Mohamed Salah, the frontrunner for the Ballon d'Or and on course for his most prolific campaign ever. He's added that extra gloss atop an already shining season.

The Egyptian's fierce determination could well be the difference between Liverpool and Premier League title rivals Arsenal, between Liverpool and Champions League contenders Barcelona, between Liverpool and their domestic cup opponents. There hasn't been an African Ballon d'Or winner since 1995 when George Weah took home the Golden Ball, but on this trajectory, Salah will follow in his footsteps.

Salah has also been propelled into 'best Premier League player ever' conversations alongside Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo. But he'll know that triumphs beyond the title alone is needed to help his cause.

You also get the sense that everyone knows their place in Liverpool's attack. Salah is constantly good value for goals and assists, with Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and the maligned Federico Chiesa able to fit in around him. It's proven a fine recipe for success.

"We need to get goals from many positions," Slot said of his attackers on Wednesday. "Including them [and] including centre-backs that can score from set-pieces also. So, that's what I just said, we are trying to work on the training ground and with the feedback we give them after the game to make the team better and better and better and in the end, the No.9 should be a facilitator, like a winger, but a winger and a No.9 should also score goals."

And yet Salah's time at Liverpool could be coming to an end. The same can be said for homegrown hero Trent Alexander-Arnold and club captain Virgil van Dijk, too.

The only blemish on Liverpool's season so far is their inability to tie any of their star trio down to new contracts, with all three players now free to discuss summer moves elsewhere. Salah has been most vocal in his displeasure at the slowness of talks, with Van Dijk often giving to-the-point updates and Alexander-Arnold hiding behind speculation of a switch to Real Madrid.

These sagas have not yet proven detrimental to performances (bar Alexander-Arnold's stinker against United at the start of January days after Madrid rumours went into overdrive), and there appears to be a willingness for this core who have grown together to sail off into the sunset in a blaze of glory.

But talk of the quadruple will remain premature unless Liverpool reach the Carabao Cup final, and to do that, they will have to beat Tottenham on Thursday. The Reds were beaten 1-0 in the first leg last month, and Slot has admitted that Spurs having various injury returns and new faces through the transfer door has complicated matters further.

"Not that it matters a lot, but if you play one week later then normally you face exactly the same team again," he said. "Now with all the injuries Tottenham had last time we played them, it would have been a bit more in our advantage if we played them one week later again, although we lost against the ones that were fit that time. But indeed they did bring in three players [in the transfer window], the goalkeeper was already there, so now we face two different ones. I wonder if Micky van de Ven is ready to play - he, of course, has a big impact on that team. It might change the quality we face tomorrow compared to the last time, but we were already not able to win from the team that played last time.

"So, it's going to be a difficult one, which we know. If you reach the semi-final against Tottenham, you know it's going to be a difficult one. But I think we will be better than the last time as well."

Spurs' dreadful record at Anfield - they are without a win there since May 2011 - should play into Liverpool's hands. Ange Postecoglou's side were on the end of a 4-2 shredding in this fixture last season. Even despite the one-goal disadvantage, Slot and his men have more than enough to reach the final. They have that extra edge and assuredness which their immediate predecessors lacked.