Liverpool boss Arne Slot has hit out at Michael Owen for suggesting that successful simply the Premier League title isn’t sufficient for the Reds this season.
The Reds beat Everton in midweek to revive their 12-point lead on the high of the Premier League table with Arsenal beating Fulham the earlier night.
Liverpool had seemed on for a number of trophies earlier this yr however their losses to Paris Saint-Germain within the Champions League and Newcastle United in the League Cup final got here in fast succession earlier than the worldwide break.
And now Liverpool have full concentrate on the Premier League with solely an enormous collapse set to cease them successful their twentieth top-flight English title.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk was not pleased with one in every of Owen’s questions after the Merseyside Derby, with the previous Reds striker suggesting that it was not sufficient to solely win the Premier League this season.
After Liverpool beat Everton, Owen told Premier League productions: “It’s been a irritating couple of weeks.
“Liverpool had been poised to have an outstanding season, in the event that they win the Premier League it’ll nonetheless be unbelievable however with a little bit little bit of a bitter style as a result of it was constructing into one thing particular.
“I feel it Liverpool followers exhausting, and the supervisor and the gamers, to exit of competitions in fast succession.
“The mud will settle, everybody will realise if it’s the Premier League they win on the finish of the season and solely the Premier League that’ll be an unbelievable season and they might’ve snapped your hand off for that at first of the season.
“However it doesn’t cease the sensation of the previous couple of weeks and to get that successful feeling again shall be actually essential to everyone linked with the membership.”
In a post-match interview, Owen requested Van Dijk: “I’m simply pondering when it comes to the season to this point, in the event you’d have stated at first of the season you had been going to win the Premier League I’m positive folks would’ve been over the moon. Nonetheless, it was constructing into one thing actually particular – how exhausting was it after a few huge defeats in cup competitions to get your thoughts tuned again into the Premier League and to complete the season effectively?”
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Van Dijk clearly didn’t agree with Owen’s take, with the Dutchman replying: “So that you’re suggesting the season isn’t going to be particular any extra?”
Owen stated: “It is going to be, completely, it will likely be particular, however I assumed it might’ve been constructing into one thing very particular.”
Van Dijk replied: “Properly, I feel we now have to vary that narrative a little bit bit.
“We’re combating for the largest prize of the season, we labored so exhausting for it, 20 groups are working so exhausting to be on high of the Premier League.
“Now we have eight video games to go, we all know what’s at stake, we now have to go for it, we now have to battle, we now have to take pleasure in the entire trip after which let’s see. Like I stated, it’s nonetheless trying very particular in my eyes.
“I feel what you stated, at first of the season, I feel nobody anticipated us to even attempt to battle on all 4 fronts, clearly we’re on the stage now the place we’re nonetheless combating for the largest, and that’s the truth. It’s nonetheless a chance that this season shall be very, very particular.”
Reacting to Owen’s feedback, Liverpool boss Slot stated on Friday: “Let me perceive it proper, Virgil was a bit annoyed as a result of it got here throughout because it’s not sufficient to solely win the Premier League?
“Michael did play for us didn’t he? So he’s conscious of the truth that in 35 years we gained the league as soon as? There’s your reply. Should you can win the league with this membership then, phew, nothing else issues I might say.
“Should you do it 10 occasions in a row then I might perceive that individuals say: ‘Oh however you solely win the Premier League.’ If [Manchester] Metropolis solely gained the Premier League then I might perceive folks saying: ‘It’s not a superb season for Metropolis.’
“But when, at this membership, you’ll be able to 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 effectively then I agree with him.”
