Some Liverpool fans are questioning why the League Cup that the Reds won earlier this year does not feature in the club's official 2024-25 squad photo.
For the first time since 2015, Liverpool's squad photo includes a manager other than Jurgen Klopp, with Arne Slot flanked by Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold on the front row.
It is customary for a squad photo to feature silverware that a club won during the previous season at the feet of the players on the front row, but the League Cup was nowhere to be seen.
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An eagle-eyed fan on Reddit wrote: "Why isn't the league cup trophy in the photo?" It's not been made clear why the cup doesn't feature in the photo, but one Reddit user theorized: "Wonder if it’s because it wasn’t Slot’s team who won it, but it does seem strange."
The last time Liverpool went into a season having won at least one trophy in the previous season was the 2022-23 campaign, and that season's squad photo featured the League Cup and the FA Cup at the feet of Klopp and his players on the front row, as well as the Community Shield.
Liverpool has started the new season in brilliant fashion under Slot, and Reds fans will hope that next season's squad photo features a trophy or two. The Reds sit at the top of the Premier League after winning five of their opening six matches, while they also won their first matches in the Champions League and the League Cup.
Liverpool was involved in a title race up until the closing weeks of last season, and many fans expected this season to be a transitional one given the seismic managerial change that took place in the summer. However, Liverpool's start to the season has led many football fans to wonder whether Slot's side could be involved in a title race towards the business end of the campaign.
Slot, though, moved to temper expectations after Saturday's win at Wolves, as he referenced the club's struggles during the 2022-23 season. He told Sky Sports: "I try to be realistic. Jurgen's work has been incredible over here. Everybody knows this and everybody underlines this, but two years ago was the last time they played in the Champions League and I think they ended up finishing fifth.
"Last season, without playing Europe (although Liverpool did compete in the Europa League), the players that played at the weekend had some rest. Now we have to prove, similar season like two years ago, that we can do it in the Premier League and the Champions League and that's something that, in my opinion, we have to prove with almost the same players as two years ago, which was not the result that Liverpool's supporters would love to see."
Liverpool resumes its Champions League campaign this week as Bologna vists Anfield before the Reds sign off for the October international break with a Premier League match away to Crystal Palace next Saturday.
