Tag: Arne Slot

Liverpool are guaranteed to be one of the top two seeds for the Champions League knockout stages.

Anfield European nights are cherished by Liverpool fans. Regardless of age, every Red supporter has grown up hearing tales of the club’s most iconic moments on Europe’s biggest stage. From historical games like Inter Milan in ’65, Saint-Etienne in ’77, and Olympiacos in 2004 to more recent triumphs such as Borussia Dortmund in ’16 and Barcelona in ’19, Jurgen Klopp’s team has added their own legendary entries as Liverpool defied the odds with the world watching. This rich history is why so many footballing giants stand in awe of Anfield and the power of its crowd when the team needs them most.

Arne Slot, however, has yet to experience one of those unforgettable “Anfield European nights.” While his side did make headlines by thrashing Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 and defeating Real Madrid 2-0 in this year’s revamped league phase, knockout football is a different challenge entirely.

Liverpool’s perfect record in this season’s league phase stands at seven wins from seven matches, with Tuesday night’s 2-1 victory over Lille securing their place in the round of 16. This win also assured them a top-two finish, though only a last-minute Barcelona goal prevented them from claiming top spot with a game still to play.

Regardless of whether Liverpool finish first or second, their success has given them a significant advantage for the Champions League knockout stages.

Firstly, they’ve bypassed the knock-out phase play-offs, a feat that Slot himself acknowledged as important after his side’s win over Lille. “For me the most important thing tonight is we have been able to skip a round. That is definitely worth a bit,” he said.

Secondly, by finishing in the top eight, Liverpool will be seeded for the round-of-16 draw, which should, in theory, give them an easier match against one of the eight play-off round winners.

But thirdly, and perhaps most crucially, by securing a top-two finish, Liverpool have ensured they will avoid facing clubs currently near the top of the Champions League group stage and will enjoy home advantage in the round of 16.

However, the true difficulty of the draw won’t become clear until next week, when the final rankings of the top 24 teams are confirmed.

Nottingham Forest’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, was in high spirits after the Premier League draw with Liverpool, greeting the players in the tunnel post-match.

The Forest players received a warm welcome back to the dressing room from a delighted Marinakis, who has played a pivotal role in the club’s rise to Premier League status since acquiring them in 2017.

Under the leadership of Nuno Espirito Santo, Forest has enjoyed a strong season, even mounting an unexpected title challenge. On Tuesday, they hosted Premier League leaders Liverpool, who held a six-point advantage at the top of the table.

Forest remains the only team to have defeated Liverpool this season, securing a 1-0 win at Anfield in September, and they looked set to repeat that success at the City Ground when Chris Wood scored just eight minutes into the match, assisted by Anthony Elanga.

However, Diogo Jota equalized for Liverpool in the 66th minute. Despite further attempts from Jota and a blocked shot by Mo Salah, Forest held firm to secure a draw.

This result continued to showcase Forest’s impressive form, having won six consecutive matches prior to this one. Marinakis, the club’s owner, was clearly pleased with their performance.

He was spotted eagerly waiting near the door to the home team’s dressing room, enthusiastically greeting players and staff with handshakes, hugs, and a beaming smile as they came off the field following their strong showing. The Greek owner was there for every player, celebrating their excellent effort.

With Forest displaying their trademark determination, satisfaction was evident all around, including from Nuno, who is in his first full season at the helm. He offered nothing but praise for his team’s resilience, highlighting their solid defense and expressing satisfaction with their current position in the league.

This contrasted sharply with last season, when Marinakis confronted officials after Liverpool’s dramatic late winner. The Forest owner had been standing on the touchline at the final whistle and was later escorted away by security.

“It was a good game. It was entertaining. First half, I think we were organized and didn’t allow too many situations. The second half was like ping pong and that is when Liverpool become stronger,” Nuno told TNT Sports.

“When they have space and with the speed and talent they have, it is very dangerous. I am very proud of the team for the way they worked and ran, especially up and down and the sprints to recover and the desire to attack.”

“It [Wood’s goal] was a beautiful finish. It was clinical. It was good. When Liverpool made the changes, we were also about to make a change. Credit to Liverpool, they had a lot of chances.”

“The support in the last seven minutes felt like they were giving extra runs to our players. Of course, we are satisfied. Especially because of the way the players work. I am so proud. We keep going. We want to enjoy the moment and we are competing very well.”

Arne Slot has orchestrated an almost flawless first half of the season, but it’s uncertain whether Liverpool will take action in the transfer market to strengthen the Dutchman’s squad.

Liverpool are performing well both in the Premier League and Europe, leaving questions about whether much transfer activity will occur at Anfield this January.

Right now, Slot’s main focus appears to be resolving the futures of three key players. Speculation surrounding Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, and Virgil van Dijk continues, with all three potentially leaving on free transfers next summer.

Regarding reinforcements, Jamie Carragher has urged the club to sign a new left-back. However, Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, whom Carragher has recommended, seems likely to remain at his current club this month.

As the transfer window nears its midpoint, Mirror Football gathers the latest transfer news and rumors from Anfield…

Slot Receives Transfer Boost

Nurnberg striker Stefanos Tzimas might join Liverpool in the summer after the club’s Sporting Director, Olaf Rebbe, confirmed they are open to selling him for a quick profit. The 18-year-old, currently on loan at Nurnberg from PAOK, could see his future decided by the German side, who have the option to make his move permanent. Rebbe stated of Tzimas: “We won’t give up any top performers in the winter, but with a view to the summer, we are of course already looking at a few options.”

Zubimendi Changes Mind

Martin Zubimendi is now set to make a Premier League move, just months after rejecting the opportunity to join Slot’s team. The 25-year-old Real Sociedad player was a target for Liverpool last summer but opted to stay in Spain following a change of heart. Arsenal have also shown interest in Zubimendi for the past year, and according to The Mail, advanced talks are underway for a transfer that would bring the Euro 2024 winner to the Emirates.

Two Players May Depart

Liverpool are reportedly open to loan offers for Jayden Danns and James McConnell. The Athletic has reported that both players, who featured in Saturday’s 4-0 win over Accrington Stanley, have attracted interest from EFL clubs looking to strengthen their squads. The duo could be allowed to leave on temporary deals depending on the offers Liverpool receives in the coming weeks.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot spoke to the media ahead of his team’s eagerly awaited clash with Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, providing an update on his squad’s fitness. Unfortunately for Liverpool, there was disappointing news regarding Joe Gomez’s recovery.

“[Gomez is] quite far [from fitness],” Slot said. “He’s definitely not training with the team yet. And Darwin is suspended. Those are the two we will miss tomorrow.”

Gomez, who suffered a muscle injury during last month’s match against West Ham United, still has no confirmed return date, leaving Liverpool light in defense.

Apart from Núñez’s suspension and Gomez’s injury, Slot confirmed that there are no new fitness concerns, though the lingering effects of illness could still be a factor. It’s still unclear whether the illness that sidelined Dominic Szoboszlai for a short period has had a lasting impact, or if it played a role in Jarell Quansah‘s withdrawal during his last start for the club.

Turning attention to Nottingham Forest, Slot anticipates changes in the lineup compared to their previous meeting.

“I watched it back because I wanted to see what we did back then in terms of tactics and what we could do now. I assume, but I’m not sure of course because I don’t make the line-up for Forest, but back then it was already a surprise for us that [Callum] Hudson-Odoi and [Anthony] Elanga weren’t playing,” Slot reflected.

“But they are playing so well now that it would again be a surprise to me if they don’t start now. Back then, they didn’t start and they played more with midfielders in these positions.”

He added, “So, we have to wait and see. We are prepared for both, of course. But that we have to do better than that game, that is clear. And they have still a similar playing style, like we still have the similar playing style. So we have to look into the details [for] what we can do better than that game.”

Both Hudson-Odoi and Elanga will likely exploit the spaces behind Liverpool’s fullbacks, targeting a counter-attacking strategy that has caused trouble for the Reds in previous encounters. As Forest aims for a potential double over Liverpool, the team must be ready to counter these challenges and improve on their previous performances.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has admitted that his team’s 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest earlier this season was a pivotal moment in his tenure, one that left a lasting impact. The defeat, which occurred at Anfield in September, remains the only blemish on his Premier League record and quickly became the subject of humorous memes across social media. For Slot, it serves as a clear example of what he refuses to accept from his players.

As Liverpool heads to the City Ground this evening, they are eager to avenge that defeat. The setback in September halted their early momentum under Slot and showcased that Forest, under Nuno Espirito Santo, could be a serious force in the league this season. In fact, Forest’s surprise success has made them a contender, currently tied with Arsenal for second place after winning six consecutive league matches.

Reflecting on that September loss, Slot is clear about his frustration. “I definitely don’t wipe it from my memory,” he says. “There were not that many things we did well in that game. What I mostly disliked was that in the last 20-25 minutes, I didn’t see anything happening.”

Slot was especially concerned that his players didn’t step up when the game was slipping away. “You want to see players saying, ‘enough is enough,’ and fighting harder—more aggressive, more duels, more sprints,” he explains. “I was mostly worried that didn’t happen.” Although he’s not ruling out the possibility of a similar situation arising again, Slot made it clear to his squad that such a response is not acceptable. “What I told the players is that it doesn’t fit me,” he says, referencing his time at Feyenoord where players often rose to the occasion in similar situations. “I said to them this probably doesn’t fit you guys as well because with Jürgen Klopp, you always came back.”

However, Slot is optimistic, noting that since that loss, his players have shown a stronger mentality. “The good thing is that was also the only game where it happened,” he says. “In every game since, when we went behind, we did put our foot on the gas.”

Looking back on the game, Slot also recalled experimenting with his lineup. “I made one or two substitutions and played Trent Alexander-Arnold as a midfielder for the first time,” he says. “It was a learning moment for me, figuring out what works for the team.”

Forest’s strong start to the season has taken many by surprise, considering their struggles in recent years. They’ve made substantial investments, spending over £200 million since returning to the Premier League in 2022, a figure higher than Liverpool’s spending in the same period. Slot has dismissed direct comparisons with his former club AZ Alkmaar, pointing out that Forest‘s financial outlay has given them a better foundation. “If you spend so much money, you will have good players,” he notes. “And then you need a manager who brings that out of them. That is what Nuno Espirito Santo is doing great at the moment.”

While Liverpool will be without Darwin Nunez (suspended) and Joe Gomez (injured), Slot has a near-full squad to choose from and is likely to make up to 10 changes from the team that beat Accrington Stanley 4-0 in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Despite some media claims of Liverpool faltering after two winless games against Manchester United (2-2 draw) and Tottenham Hotspur (1-0 defeat in the League Cup), Slot remains confident in his team’s performance. “Those would be the people who only look at the result, not the performance,” he says. “If you look at the performance, I didn’t see many different things compared to other games.”

Acknowledging the challenges in their recent fixtures, Slot adds, “After what we saw on Sunday with United beating Arsenal, our result against United might not even be such a strange result anymore.” He insists that performance is what matters most: “As long as they work really hard and give everything they’ve got, sometimes another team can be a bit luckier or deserve the points.”

Now, as Liverpool prepares for the return fixture against Forest, Slot’s focus remains on improving his side’s mentality and ensuring they do not repeat the mistakes of that fateful September match.

Arne Slot provided an update on Liverpool’s squad ahead of their trip to Nottingham Forest, revealing that the team will be without Joe Gomez and Darwin Nunez. Gomez is still recovering from a muscle injury sustained against West Ham United, while Nunez is suspended due to accumulating five yellow cards in the Premier League this season.

“Quite far,” Slot said when asked about Gomez’s recovery. “He is definitely not with the team yet and Darwin is suspended. They are the ones we’ll miss tomorrow.” The Liverpool boss also noted that it could still be a while before Gomez is back in action, as the center-back is not yet close to rejoining full team training.

While Dominik Szoboszlai had been ill recently, the Hungarian midfielder made his return over the weekend, playing 45 minutes against Accrington.

When questioned about Nottingham Forest‘s potential title challenge, Slot said, “You can judge the table best at the halfway point. If Forest is up there with us, then they definitely are a team that is in competition with us and the other teams.” He praised their recent performances, acknowledging that they “deserved to be treated like this” given their results. Reflecting on their previous match against Forest, Slot said, “They showed in retrospect what a good team they are.” He also recalled how Liverpool‘s loss to Forest, where Virgil van Dijk played his 100th home game, was a tough one to take, but with hindsight, it was less surprising considering Forest’s solid game plan.

Looking ahead to the match, Slot emphasized the challenge Forest will pose, noting their current position in the Premier League and their impressive form.

In a deeper assessment of Forest’s rapid rise, Slot acknowledged the role money has played in their success. Since returning to the Premier League in 2022, Forest has spent roughly $263 million (£216m) on transfers, including signing 21 new players in their first summer window. Liverpool’s net spend in comparison was around $174 million (£144m). Slot pointed out that while Forest’s progress is commendable, it shouldn’t come as a total surprise given their financial backing, adding, “If you look at the amount of money they have spent it is perhaps not a complete surprise that they do well this season.”

When asked about the history between the two clubs, Slot recalled Liverpool‘s European success, saying, “I think it was 10 minutes when someone told me that it was ‘78/79 that Liverpool [won the European Cup] and then Forest two years and then Liverpool again.” He acknowledged Forest’s past dominance in English football but emphasized that they have since fallen into a period of rebuilding.

As Liverpool gears up for their match, Slot is well aware of the task ahead, stating, “It is going to be a very difficult challenge tomorrow to get a result.”