GREAT STRIDES
Slot: My boys still have a way to go before they join the icons of Anfield
ARNE SLOT has told his Liverpool players to keep working hard because they are not a great team... yet.
The Reds can secure one of the seven wins needed to guarantee a record-equalling 20th title against Southampton at Anfield today.
And gaffer Slot insists they must not let up – because this squad are not as good as previous great Anfield teams, who could win a game in just 30 minutes.
The Dutchman, who will watch from the stands as he completes his two-match touchline ban for swearing at ref Michael Oliver after the Merseyside derby, said: “Wolves was difficult, Southampton away was difficult, the League Cup was difficult, against PSG it was really difficult.
“So, yes, we’re a really good team, but not a team that every week wins 4-0 or 5-0 and after half an hour, it’s already 3-0.
“We’ve seen a team doing that in recent years a few times and longer ago, Liverpool also had that, after half an hour, it was already 3-0.
“We’re not that team yet. It’s something we’re trying to do and therefore it’s something we need to improve a lot.
“We only have to look at Southampton away – a 3-2 win, a very difficult one, we were a goal down.
“So, no, we’re not looking at all at the results of Arsenal, we look at our own and we know we have to be on top of our game because if we’re on top of our game, we mostly win by one-goal margins.”
Slot also revealed that Darwin Nunez is back on track after he gave the struggling Liverpool striker a public kick up the backside.
The gaffer blasted the Uruguayan’s work rate after abject displays against Wolves and Aston Villa, demanding more from the frontman.
And he reckons Nunez answered his challenge with gusto when he laid on Harvey Elliott’s late winner against PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday night, to end his nine-game run without scoring or making an assist.
Slot said: “He was just back to being the normal Darwin, the player he was for seven or eight months.”
Meanwhile, Ivan Juric insists it’s not mission impossible as his basement boys prepare to derail the runaway leaders.
The Southampton boss said: “It’s never mission impossible. We will try to do our best and we will see. Before the match, I’m always optimistic and then after, maybe I think differently. But before the match, I always see the possibility of doing something good.
“When you play against Liverpool, sometimes it’s the way you want to die.
“If you do some things, they will find another way to beat you. If you are low block, they will find a way to beat you.
“We have to be perfect in both things. Sometimes press, sometimes low block. We have to play well.”