Liverpool’s chances of winning the Premier League title may have been effectively terminated by the outcome, but there were advantages in addition to the evident disappointment of losing in the last lap of the season.

With Champions League qualification well within reach, there is some potential to be had in a season that was always intended to be a reconstruction. And there were two players in particular that stood out and might ensure that Liverpool’s future manager has an easy transition.

Arne Slot, with whom Liverpool is rumored to have reached an agreement, most likely watched closely to see how his system would be used when the Reds and West Ham squared off 2-2 on Saturday afternoon.

Because of his tactical resemblance to Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool has made sure that the transition to a new strategy would be as seamless as possible. There will be many similarities between the two, with both favoring a high-pressing strategy that might result in possession turnovers in risky situations. One of the advantages of Slot’s arrival over prior favorite Xabi Alonso is that it may guarantee Liverpool’s competitiveness in all leagues following a single transfer window.

Slot most likely noticed Cody Gakpo’s display. The Netherlands international shown his ability to hold the ball up before coordinating play with others around him, frequently being at the center of Liverpool’s most effective assaults.

Despite the numerous deflections that would count as an own goal, there was a fortunate element to his score, but he was still in the area to give the Reds the lead at a critical juncture in the match. Slot frequently prefers a 4-2-3-1 strategy, therefore Gakpo might see himself used at number ten.

This season, he has shown that he can create opportunities rather than just score goals, and he appears to have already adapted to the physical demands of the Premier League. Not that I would anticipate him to lead the line as often as he has for Klopp, but I can see him playing frequently and improving under Slot.

An additional plus from Saturday’s draw was Luis Díaz. The task facing the next manager of Liverpool will be to assist him in developing his clinical edge. The Colombian was unlucky to beat his man after cutting inside and hitting the post in the first half. He then had two more opportunities in the second half, but he was unable to adequately test Alphonse Areola.

Nonetheless, he is making the appropriate plays and stands to gain from Slot’s system, which frequently instructs the wingers to cut inside and influence the game from central positions. Despite rumors of a possible transfer, Díaz is better suited to Slot’s vertical style of play than what a manager like Alonso may have chosen, thus the current Feyenoord manager should be eager to keep him at Anfield.

It’s also improbable that Liverpool will revert to its previous state, as Manchester United did after Sir Alex Ferguson retired, with Michael Edwards serving as FSG’s CEO of Football and overseeing football operations. The present team has several shining strengths, and it won’t take more than three additions to give Slot the best chance of succeeding at Anfield.