Anfield Index
·22 December 2024
In partnership with
Yahoo sportsAnfield Index
·22 December 2024
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has set the stage for a crucial Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur, urging his players to showcase their title-winning credentials. With the Reds eager to make a statement, Slot is focused on breaking their streak of poor results against top teams away from home, a challenge that looms large this Sunday.
Slot has emphasised the importance of picking up points in challenging away fixtures against formidable opponents like Tottenham, Chelsea, and Manchester City. While Liverpool have managed some tough wins against sides like Wolves and Crystal Palace, the manager knows victories against top-six teams are essential for any title charge.
“Yeah, you need to do a lot of things right, winning against Nottingham Forest or Fulham at home, for example,” Slot stated. “But yeah, if you want to win this league, you need a lot of points.
“And there are so many strong teams in this competition that once in a while you need to win a difficult away game as well. We’ve managed to win already a few difficult ones, because I think Wolves and Crystal Palace, all these ones are difficult.
“But I think it’s fair to say that the away games against the top six, top-eight teams are even more difficult and yeah, you don’t have to win them all, but you certainly need a few good results in these games.”
Photo: IMAGO
As Liverpool prepare for this Sunday showdown, Slot has turned his attention to Tottenham’s aggressive and high-intensity style under Ange Postecoglou. Despite some critics questioning Spurs’ defensive fragility, Slot remains full of praise for their approach.
“What I saw is that Tottenham one time tried to play the ball out from the back and one time they tried to clear it, and both situations led to a goal,” said Slot.
“What then is the answer for them now? I think I do know they have applied their style and they’ve had some very good results with that style.
“They want to bring the ball out from the back, that’s also what we like to do. If there’s one team that comes to my mind when I talk about intensity, it’s definitely Tottenham.
“What an incredible aggressive style of play and pressing and the strikers work incredibly hard without the ball. So for that reason we have to be really, really intense if we want to have any chance of getting a good result.”
The Dutch tactician is fortunate to have attacking reinforcements available for this massive clash. Diogo Jota, Harvey Elliott, and Federico Chiesa are all set to return from injury, bolstering Liverpool’s attacking options. However, Slot remains cautious about their readiness for a full 90 minutes.
“It’s good for us to have six attackers back, but not all six of them are ready to play 90 minutes yet,” Slot noted.
“There are so many reasons why you take someone off. If you take someone off, sometimes it has to do with the next game that’s coming up. Sometimes you feel this player doesn’t play good. Sometimes he does play good, but you feel like maybe someone else, with different characteristics can make it difficult for the centre-back, so there are different reasons.”
Liverpool’s trip to Tottenham is more than just another Premier League fixture. It’s an opportunity to set the tone for the rest of the season and solidify their credentials as genuine title contenders. With Slot’s tactical focus and his squad nearly at full strength, Sunday’s game promises to be a defining moment in their campaign.