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Liverpool's substitutes were a potent weapon under Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot will hope his squad can replicate that success this term

Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring Liverpool's third goal in Liverpool's 5-1 Carabao Cup win over West Ham United at Anfield after stepping off the bench(Image: Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

In groups of three and four, the Liverpool substitutes emerged from the dugout and onto to the touchline. First came Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo and Curtis Jones.

Then Wataru Endo, Conor Bradley, Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah - all of them applauded by the Kop as they completed their warm-ups during the Reds’ Champions League clash with Bologna. It is a bench that surely outstrips that of the vast majority of teams in world football, with injured duo Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott still to be added to the mix.

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Last season, Liverpool's substitutes were involved in 47 goals (24 goals, 23 assists) in all competitions; more than any other side in Europe's top five leagues.

If the Reds are to successfully navigate a gruelling winter of fixtures and crown Arne Slot's maiden Anfield campaign with some silverware, it is likely similar numbers will need to be posted this term.

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"One of the reasons we can compete is because we have a lot of quality and I also see a lot of team cohesion in the team," Slot said earlier this week.

"So, if we score, I also see the ones who don’t play are really happy with us scoring (and) with us winning. Those are two really positive things, but I also see things we definitely have to improve if we want to stay where we are with the fixture list coming up."

Indeed, the strength in depth of Liverpool's squad will only be tested in earnest on the other side of the international break.

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The Reds will play seven games in 21 days, including a potentially decisive Premier League clash with Arsenal at the Emirates and a tricky home tie against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

Following November's international break, Slot's side then play eight matches in the space of 28 days, with Manchester City and Real Madrid among their opponents.

It is a punishing schedule that will demand all of the Dutchman's players be at their very best if Liverpool are to get through unscathed and stay in the hunt for all four trophies this term.

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One of Jurgen Klopp's greatest superpowers during his glittering Anfield tenure was his ability to foster a palpable sense of unity within his squad.

Rarely were players visibly unhappy when they were reduced to more of a supporting role and the German had an uncanny knack for instilling belief in all of his charges so that they felt compelled to deliver when called upon.

Without that belief, it is unlikely games such as Liverpool's 4-0 win over Barcelona or their Carabao Cup triumph against Chelsea would have been able to happen.

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It will take time before Slot's own man-management skills can truly be assessed. However, the fact that goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher delivered for him in the absence of Alisson Becker last month, just weeks after the Irishman expressed his frustration at a lack of game time, is an encouraging early sign.

That the Liverpool boss has been able to seamlessly move past Trent Alexander-Arnold's obvious disappointment at being substituted against Brentford back in August is another tick against his name.

So far this season, Liverpool's substitutes have contributed to just one goal in nine games, with Mohamed Salah coming off the bench to net against West Ham United in the Carabao Cup.

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It is a statistic largely born from the fact that the Reds have often already been in the lead by the time Slot has turned to his bench, meaning his substitutes have often been tasked - as they were on Wednesday night - with seeing out the game.

Gakpo has been the standout performer when it comes to players excelling off the bench, and the Dutchman is incredibly unlucky that the current custodian of his favoured left-wing spot is the electric Luis Diaz.

Jones, Endo, Quansah and Bradley, meanwhile, have also played a crucial role when called upon by the Liverpool boss and will almost certainly get plenty more minutes in their legs over the next few months.

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"We have a lot of quality (and) a lot of players that can help us," Slot said. "We’re really pleased to see that every time we need a player that he shows up. But again, with the even tougher fixtures coming up, it’s something we still have to prove."

Certainly, there are much tougher tests ahead for Slot and for Liverpool. But, if he can continue getting a tune out of his second string, it could be a very exciting season indeed.