Arne Slot has rubbished options that Liverpool profitable ‘solely’ the Premier League title will likely be something in need of spectacular this season – and stated the English prime flight is ‘higher than it ever was’.
The Reds head coach was speaking after former striker Michael Owen stated ending the season with only one trophy would go away a ‘bitter style’ in an interview with Virgil van Dijk – which the Liverpool captain swiftly dismissed.
Slot laughed at this concept and stated: ‘Let me perceive it proper, Virgil was a bit annoyed as a result of it got here throughout as it is not sufficient to ‘solely’ win the Premier League? Michael (Owen) performed for us, did not he? So he’s conscious of the truth that in 35 years we received the league as soon as?
‘There may be your reply. If you happen to can win the league with this membership then, phew, nothing else issues. If you happen to do it 10 instances in a row then I may perceive that individuals say, ‘Oh however you solely win the Premier League’.
‘At this membership, you possibly can compete for it and not to mention win it, then it’s a unusual query to ask for my part. If Virgil has this opinion as nicely then I agree with him. I observe the Dutch media a bit greater than the media right here and… no, let’s go away it!
‘I believe the league is best than it ever was, the energy general is getting higher. I believe even Pep (Guardiola) stated there is not going to be a workforce once more so long as he lives that will get greater than 100 factors and wins the league 4 instances in a row.
Arne Slot (proper) echoed Virgil van Dijk’s ideas on ‘solely’ profitable the Premier League
Michael Owen stated ending the season with only one trophy would go away a ‘bitter style’
Van Dijk insisted followers would have been ‘over the moon’ with the title at first of 2024-25
‘So many extra groups have so many extra good gamers. All golf equipment, even some who’re combating towards relegation, have some gamers who can play for Metropolis, for Arsenal, for us, for Chelsea and most of these groups.
‘The rationale why groups you would possibly anticipate to have extra factors haven’t got them is as a result of the league has develop into stronger. That’s most likely why it’s such a praise for us that we do have these factors in the mean time.’
Slot added that due to this, Liverpool’s sole league defeat to Nottingham Forest in September doesn’t look fairly as unhealthy as he thought it was on the time.
The Anfield boss additionally stated that his workforce’s defeat to Newcastle within the Carabao Cup remaining is likely to be an excellent factor after they look again in hindsight – because it has awoken his workforce once more for the ultimate stretch of the league season.
‘Typically it’s good once you lose a recreation of soccer,’ he stated. ‘Particularly in the event you lose it in a fashion which does not match our requirements. That retains them awake I believe. The best way we misplaced towards Newcastle is just not the best way we need to lose a recreation of soccer.’
Liverpool journey to Fulham on Sunday figuring out they want 4 wins from eight remaining video games to ensure the Premier League title. Trent Alexander-Arnold remains to be unfit however goalkeeper Alisson ought to return after concussion, with Conor Bradley additionally pushing to return to the squad.
In the meantime, Andy Robertson has insisted his good buddy Alexander-Arnold is just not fazed by hypothesis over his future and solely specializing in returning to health and profitable the league title.
‘Trent’s head is just not nice as a result of he is injured,’ stated the Scotland captain. ‘He hates being injured, none of us like being injured however it hurts Trent somewhat bit extra. That is all he’s centered on.
Owen (left) made the remark when interviewing Van Dijk after the Merseyside derby
However Van Dijk hit again at these claims and insisted that ‘we have now to alter the narrative’
‘It’s unimaginable for me to say we have now not seen all of the noise and everybody commenting on it. However for us our focus is for him to get again match and wholesome. As soon as he does that, what is going to occur, will occur.
‘Nobody is aware of that but. Folks can speak and speculate however for us we wish Trent again very quickly.’
Requested if he’s getting excited over the potential of lifting a Premier League trophy, Robertson added: ‘Come on (laughing)! Nobody right here is permitting us to consider or suppose like that. We HAVE to give attention to the subsequent recreation. I can assure there are 60,000 followers pondering like that.
‘That’s proper for them to do. They’ll get carried away, we’re permitting them to get carried away and we take nice pleasure in that. However we have now to remain centered. We’re the gamers, we have now a job to do.
‘Hold pushing and maintain profitable video games to get us over the road. If the time comes we are going to be sure you take pleasure in it, however we aren’t pondering that far forward.’
