Liverpool players are used to being top, says Arne Slot
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Arne Slot is the first Liverpool manager to win eight of his first nine matches in charge.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON – The signs are looking good for Liverpool under Arne Slot, even if the new Reds manager is not taking his team’s early-season form too seriously.
It is probably too soon to compare the Dutchman to the likes of Merseyside greats Jurgen Klopp, Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley, but the fact is he has achieved something that none of his predecessors could manage.
Slot is the first Liverpool boss to win eight of his first nine matches in charge in all competitions, and could make it nine in 10 when his side travel to Crystal Palace on Oct 5 in their bid to extend their lead in the English Premier League.
He is, however, focusing on only one thing, and has warned his players that the match in front of them is more important than any personal statistic or record.
“We’re Liverpool, players here are used to being top of the table,” Slot said on Oct 4.
“It would be weird if a player here has his head in the clouds. But if we don’t play well tomorrow, people will say (we’re getting carried away) rather than Palace playing well.
“These players are experienced to know we’ve only played six games. Many won the league and Champions League here, so for them, it’s nice to be top, but I am not expecting them to watch their mobile to see the table all the time.”
The Liverpool boss also spoke about the lunchtime kick-off, something that Klopp had publicly complained about.
“I think the league I come from, they are more aware and try to help teams in Europe. But to be fair to the English FA, our schedule is tight, so it is difficult,” he said.
“It has a lot to do with TV stations... I think they can pick a team for 12.30pm, so they choose Liverpool. But every away game is difficult. People talk about 12.30pm, we talk about difficult away games. If 12.30pm was a difficult time to perform, then I am a stupid manager because I train every day at midday!”
Liverpool head into the clash with Palace on the back of a 2-1 league win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, which sent them to the top of the standings.
Another win would mean that the Reds are four points clear of title rivals Manchester City and Arsenal, for a few hours at least, before their respective matches.
Much is at stake and Slot knows it, although he has already told his team to keep their feet on the ground.
Liverpool are in good form, though – they have won their last five games in all competitions, scoring 15 goals, an average of three per match.
But not since their title-winning 2019-20 season have they won their first four away fixtures of a Premier League season, so Slot will be seeking to make yet another impact in his tenure so far.
On Palace, he added: “You always look at the next game and it’s Palace, they have shown how tough they are against the bigger teams, Manchester United and Chelsea they got a result.
“Difficult for us but that is part of being at a top club. I don’t look at this moment about points, it’s after the weekend that it is interesting to see the table. Not before.”
Federico Chiesa is a doubt for the match, while Harvey Elliott is out with a fractured foot.
In the Palace camp, Chadi Riad, Chris Richards and Cheick Doucoure are all sidelined.
The hosts are 18th in the standings, but manager Oliver Glasner’s job is not under threat at the moment.
That said, the Austrian must find solutions fast, and can take positives from the team’s shock 1-0 win at Anfield back in April – the last time the two teams met.
It is a different story at Selhurst Park, however, as Liverpool last lost a league game on Palace’s home turf nearly 10 years ago, a 3-1 loss in November 2014. Anything less than a Reds victory would be a shock.
