League Cup touchline ban no issue for Liverpool boss Arne Slot
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Liverpool manager Arne Slot will be looking to get back to winning ways following a 2-2 draw with Fulham.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
LONDON – Arne Slot will not be on the touchline during Liverpool’s League Cup quarter-final clash with Southampton on Dec 18, but he said he does not expect his ban to impede his ability to impact the team.
The Dutchman will be serving a touchline ban during the match, after receiving his third yellow card of the season during Liverpool’s 2-2 English Premier League draw with Fulham on Dec 14.
“If you are suspended in Holland you’re not allowed to be in and around the dressing room or do media. This is a lighter version of suspension,” Slot said ahead of the game at St Mary’s Stadium.
“I’d say I’m used to it but this is the first time I am suspended. I’m still able to do the things I want to do. The least impact you have on your team is during the 45 minutes and the most is during half-time and before the game.
“The ideal situation is I would be on the sidelines but I got a yellow, which I probably deserved as well.”
Defending League Cup champions Liverpool have had a strong start to the season and sit top of both the Premier League and Champions League standings.
“This happened last season when this club won this competition,” Slot added.
“So I am not surprised with the quality we have that we are competing at this moment for these three trophies, and the fourth one (the FA Cup) is starting in January.
“But it is a challenge because we have a lot of great competition here in other teams as well. In the League Cup, if you look at the other teams that are still in it, none of the teams are going to be an easy road to the final.”
The Reds will come up against a Southampton side in crisis, with the south-coast club having sacked manager Russell Martin shortly after a 5-0 drubbing at home to Tottenham Hotspur left them rooted to the bottom of the Premier League.
Southampton’s Under-21s manager Simon Rusk has been placed in interim charge.
“It’s difficult what we can expect in terms of formation, in terms of personnel but what we do know is that we have to play an away game against Southampton, against 11 players,” Slot said.
The Liverpool boss also confirmed that Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa would be given minutes in the match and defender Kostas Tsimikas was inching closer to a return, adding: “Wata hasn’t played that much but fortunately for us he plays for his national team.
“The few times he can play in the League Cup helps him to keep his rhythm as well. You can expect (Chiesa) to get minutes. He won’t get 90. It is a game where not all our starters will start. We have to balance.
“(Tsimikas) is going to train with us today for the first time, so let’s see how that works out. Ibrahima (Konate) and Conor (Bradley) are still not training with us.”
Arsenal are also in last-eight action when they host fellow London side Crystal Palace on the same day.
The two teams will meet again in the Premier League at Selhurst Park on Dec 21, but first the focus will be on this Cup match in which a semi-final berth is at stake.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners head into the match on the back of a 0-0 draw with Everton last weekend, while Palace are boosted by their 3-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion.
Arsenal, however, have not had trouble scoring goals in the League Cup. They thrashed Bolton Wanderers 5-1 in the third round, before seeing off Preston North End 3-0 – albeit those victories were against lower-league opponents.
Arteta will need no reminding that Palace are a Premier League side, and the task is not easy considering that the hosts have been eliminated from seven of their last 10 appearances at this stage of the competition. REUTERS
