Arne Slot ready to unleash his SECRET weapon

Liverpool are about to get even better, yes you read that right.

Arne Slot’s side are top of the Premier League after navigating a run of games most opposition fans thought would see the Reds drop points on more than one occasion. Instead, Slot has manufactured a brilliant unbeaten run and sits nine points clear of Arsenal and Chelsea in second place.

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While both Arsenal and Pep Guardiola’s Man City have allowed injury issues to derail their seasons, Liverpool have managed their own list of absences with ease.

Since the start of the season, Slot has been without Alisson, Diogo Jota, Ibrahima Konate, Conor Bradley, Harvey Elliott, Kostas Tsimikas and Federico Chiesa at different times.

In their absence, players like Caoimhin Kelleher in goal and a combination of Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz through the middle up front have made it seem like the Reds have been at full strength throughout.

Slot goes into Wednesday’s game against Newcastle without up to SIX first-team players, but he has yet to complain about his bad luck, even facing into a December period with only five fit defenders.

There’s one player who has barely featured in this incredible run since Slot joined, and his imminent return is going to give the boss an extra way to win games.

Harvey Elliott: Slot’s secret weapon?

Harvey Elliott made his return to first-team action as a late substitute in the win over Manchester City, coming on for Luis Diaz in the final moments of the game.

It was his first time on the pitch for Arne Slot since August when he came on as a substitute against Brentford. A fractured foot suffered on international duty in September has ruled him out since then.

Elliott impressed during pre-season and will have aimed to become one of Slot's go-to attacking midfielders this year, but instead has been watching from the sidelines as Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones have staked their claims.

Elliott’s return has gone under the radar due to Liverpool’s success so far this year and the ongoing contract situations surrounding Mo Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk, but his potential importance to this side shouldn’t be underestimated.

While Slot has managed to find solutions to win nearly every game this season, Elliott offers a creativity to Liverpool that is matched only by Salah and Trent.

Liverpool’s success means that other sides are more and more likely to park the bus and force the Reds to try break them down - I’m looking at you, upcoming trip to Sean Dyche’s Everton. It’s in these games that Elliott can be decisive.

Looking at last season’s statistics, Elliott was actually more creative than Salah. As per FotMob, he averaged 0.31 expected assists per 90 to Salah’s 0.27 and 2.49 chances created per 90 to Salah’s 2.34.

Elliott has actually been the most effective player for Liverpool since the start of last season. The Athletic revealed that he is the player who has been involved in the most shot-creating sequences for the Reds in the past 18 months with almost 9 per 90, ahead of Salah, Diaz, Trent and everyone else.

With Liverpool’s current form bordering on the unstoppable, teams are going to try to find new ways to beat Slot, most of which will be based on how the side currently play.

In getting Elliott back, it gives Slot a chance to try something new himself to stay ahead of the game.

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