Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold has just a year left on his current contract. — AFP Photo

Paul Kennedy

Liverpool face Nottingham Forest at home on Saturday in a match they are expected to win.

If they do, it will be four wins out of four for new manager Arne Slot. In their last three games they’ve scored seven without conceding.

Liverpool fans are in dreamland. Many, myself included, never thought in a million years the Dutch man would have such a good start to his managerial reign.

Some Liverpool supporters are giving Slot 10 out of 10 for the start he’s made to the season.

Personally, I’m not so sure. I’m going to go for a solid eight.

Yes, he’s had a perfect start results wise, but let’s come down to earth with a bump. Liverpool still haven’t been tested.

They’ve played good football, and beaten Manchester United away, but in the great scheme of things, a trip to Old Trafford is hardly a test these days.

They should beat Forest at home on Saturday, but then have a tricky away trip in Italy to face AC Milan in the Champions League.

At the end of November, Liverpool have another Champions League game against Real Madrid, then play Manchester City just two days later.

October is no stroll in the park either. They face Arsenal and Chelsea either side of another away game in Europe.

That’s when we can start to get a real impression of just how well this new-look Liverpool team are doing.

There are a few other elephants in the room that need addressing. Three to be exact.

Mohammed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold have all been magnificent so far this season, but all three have contracts due to expire at the end of this season, and there’s no word coming out of LFC about extensions.

These three players are crucial to Liverpool.

Salah may be getting on a bit, but he’s fit as a fiddle. And I’ve no doubt he looks after himself Ronaldo-esque, meaning there’s plenty of top-level years still left.

Van Dijk too. He’s incredibly important to the team and captain. And he, just like Salah, is good enough to keep playing at the top for a good few seasons.

As for Alexander-Arnold, he really is the future of Liverpool Football Club.

The Reds should be pulling out all the stops to get him to put pen to paper on a new, long term deal, as soon as humanly possible.

So great start Arne, keep it up. But be prepared for much more difficult tasks ahead.