Liverpool coach Arne Slot has revealed that the team is ready to play the remaining nine matches in the Premier League like finals after crashing out of the Champions League.
The Reds endured a heartbreaking time in March, crashing out of the Champions League to PSG, and also losing 2-1 to Newcastle United in the final of the Carabao Cup.
However, Slot’s men are enjoying a mammoth lead in the Premier League title race, sitting 12 points clear of second-placed Arsenal with nine matches to go.
The Dutch manager was speaking in a pre-match conference ahead of the Merseyside side derby against Everton on Wednesday at Anfield.
He said: “We are all looking forward to the upcoming nine games [in the Premier League]. Players are looking refreshed, in my opinion.
“But it wasn’t all negative. We played a final against a very good Newcastle team and played a very good game in defeat to Paris St-Germain. We played the best game, in my opinion, but unfortunately lost on penalties.
“Now it is going to be nine finals. These games are very important for us, starting with Everton. Not only because it is the Merseyside derby but because we are in such a good position in the league.”
Liverpool’s trio of Mohammed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all out of contract in the summer, but Slot is not bothered about the situation.
He said: “It’s a situation that has been there for eight months now and all these three players have performed so well under these circumstances so it doesn’t affect me at all.
“I think there was a bit of noise about us losing against Paris St-Germain and us losing against Newcastle as well. I always try to be rational. I was a bit more frustrated about the final, because I think we deserved to lose that one. For the first time we deserved to lose a football game.”
Slot deflected questions about Trent Alexander-Arnold’s transfer talks with Real Madrid after reports emerged during the weekend that he has agreed to join the Spanish giants.
He said: “His situation is unfortunately that he is injured, otherwise people would have probably spoken about him that he had one or two brilliant performances for the England team. But he’s injured and for him that means he is fully focused on his recovery and for us that means we are trying to help him to be back as soon as he can.
“For the rest, of course, for eight months it went a bit up and down maybe, with all kinds of talks about him, Virgil or Mo. But we have never been focused on those talks, we have always been focused on what we have to do.
“For Virgil and Mo that is trying to win the Merseyside derby, and for Trent that is making sure he can get fit as soon as he can.”
Slot also confirmed that Ryan Gravenberch, and Alisson Becker are all back in training and they are in contention to face Everton.
He said: “Ryan Gravenberch is okay. Alisson trained with us as well. The last check later today. Conor Bradley is with us again, but he’s only had a few sessions after being out for quite long so we have to make a smart decision.”
The former Feyenoord manager is on course to win his first Premier League title in his first season after taking the English top-flight by storm. Arne Slot has lead the Reds to the top of the table with 21 wins, seven draws, and one defeat in 29 matches.
