The Liverpool head coach spoke candidly ahead of Sunday’s trip to Old Trafford, addressing injuries, inconsistency and the remarkable rise of several key players
Arne Slot faced the media at the AXA Training Centre on Friday morning to preview what he described as a “very big game” when Liverpool travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Sunday evening. The Dutchman covered considerable ground across the press conference, addressing the team’s recent run of form, the absence of Mohamed Salah, the emergence of Curtis Jones at right back, and his unwavering belief in the continuing development of Florian Wirtz.
The Significance of Sunday
Liverpool head into the match sitting fourth in the Premier League table with 58 points from 34 games, level on points with Aston Villa but separated by goal difference. With Champions League qualification still to be secured and every point now precious, the trip to face a Manchester United side sitting third under Michael Carrick carries enormous weight.
Slot was characteristically measured when asked about the importance of the fixture for Liverpool’s final league position, refusing to single it out above all others while acknowledging its obvious significance.
“I think it’s always like that, every game you play has influence on your league position. So that’s not only when you play Man United, it’s every week in every game. But we are aware of the fact that it’s a very big game, not only because we play Man United, but definitely also to qualify for the Champions League and to get the highest possible position in the league table.”
The title race may have moved beyond Liverpool’s grasp, but Slot made clear that the ambition to finish as high as possible remains the driving force behind everything the club does between now and the end of the season.
Respect for United Under Carrick
One of the more interesting threads of the press conference was Slot’s assessment of how dramatically Manchester United have transformed under Michael Carrick. Sitting third in the table, United have been one of the stories of the season, and Slot was generous in his acknowledgement of the work that has been done at Old Trafford.
“I think last season when we played them, they were not in the same league position as they are now. Then, I also said that their players are much better than the league position shows. Another transfer window adding a lot of players and that has resulted, I would almost say finally, in that we now see how good their players are in terms of looking at the league table.”
The Liverpool head coach noted that in every previous encounter, his analysis of United had left him impressed even when their results did not reflect their quality. Now, with consistent performances matching that underlying talent, Carrick’s side represent a genuinely formidable opponent. Slot acknowledged that playing only once a week might represent a slight advantage for United but was careful not to use that as an excuse, instead framing it as context rather than complaint.
Chance Conversion: The Isak Factor
A recurring theme of Liverpool’s season has been the question of why a team capable of creating so many opportunities has not converted them into goals more regularly. Slot addressed this directly, and his answer pointed firmly in one direction: the availability of Alexander Isak.
“Having Alex more and more available. Having him available at his top level would even increase that even more. In general, having players available would help in becoming consistent.”
The point about Isak is a significant one. Liverpool’s No.14 has been one of the most clinical finishers in the division when fit, and his goal against Crystal Palace last weekend, taken from a chance that perhaps did not demand the highest quality of finish, was a reminder of what he brings to this team when available. Slot was clear that Isak’s presence changes Liverpool’s threat profile entirely.
The absence of Salah, confirmed for Sunday’s match as he continues his recovery from the minor muscle injury sustained against Palace, was also addressed. Slot was straightforward about what the Egyptian represents in front of goal: “Mo is, of course, another great goalscorer for so many years.” The matter-of-fact acknowledgement said everything about how indispensable Salah has been and remains, even as his farewell approaches.
An Honest Assessment of Recent Performances
Perhaps the most striking exchange of the press conference came when Slot was asked whether he felt the team had returned to the level he expected. His answer was blunt and refreshingly honest.
“No. No, I think we can be on a much higher level than we are now. If you simply look at the results then we can be very positive, it’s three wins out of three games in the league. But performance-wise, I don’t think it has been our three best performances of this season.”
It is a rare thing for a manager to openly question the quality of his team’s performances during a winning run, but Slot has never been a man to hide behind results when the underlying picture tells a different story. He acknowledged that luck has played a part in the recent run, something he has been reluctant to accept in previous months when Liverpool were dropping points despite performing well.
The injury crisis gripping the squad remains the central context for everything. Slot was pointed on this matter, noting that the sheer volume of absentees has been extreme and that its impact on consistency and performance levels is simply unavoidable.
The Jones Verdict
Curtis Jones‘ emergence as a makeshift right back has been one of the more unexpected developments of Liverpool’s recent run, and Slot’s verdict on the Scouser’s efforts in the role was warm and considered.
“Very well. Not perfect, which is completely normal, but very well, especially if you take into account he hardly has played in that position throughout his career. That he does it the way he does is a big compliment.”
Slot praised Jones’ personality above all else, the refusal to hide, the comfort on the ball in difficult positions and the willingness to take responsibility that has characterised Jones throughout his career at Liverpool. He noted that Jones was even better defensively against Crystal Palace than he had been against Everton, a sign of the rapid adaptation that intelligent players make when asked to operate somewhere new.
Wirtz: Only Going to Get Better
Slot saved some of his most enthusiastic words for Florian Wirtz, who at 22 years of age is already operating at a level that suggests his best is still some distance ahead of him. When asked whether he hoped Wirtz would step up in the biggest remaining games, Slot was unequivocal.
“I don’t only hope that, I’m 100 per cent sure he will.”
The head coach pointed to Wirtz’s extraordinary 93rd-minute contribution against Crystal Palace, the sprint from 40 yards and the finish into the top corner, as evidence of a player who has grown visibly since arriving at the club ten months ago. Slot was candid in suggesting that the same moment might not have been possible from Wirtz at the start of the season, which is simultaneously a tribute to how far the German has come and a tantalising indication of where he might yet go.
“Almost every player in the world is at his best when he’s 25, 26. But he’s already an elite player now, but he can only become better.”
It is the kind of assessment that should excite every Liverpool supporter. A player already operating at elite level, still two or three years from his peak, in a squad built around players of similar age and trajectory. Sunday at Old Trafford offers Wirtz another opportunity to announce himself on the biggest stage. Slot, for one, has absolutely no doubt that he will take it.
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YNWA (You’ll Never Walk Alone)!
The Liverpool FC Times Team
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