Arne Slot expects a big challenge against Tottenham (Image: Getty)
Arne Slot has thrown down the gauntlet to his Liverpool squad, urging them to demonstrate their title credentials by securing a big win on the road at Tottenham – who he has warned will bring ‘crazy’ intensity on Sunday afternoon.
Despite not having triumphed over a top team away from home since their victory at Newcastle in August 2023, Slot remains optimistic.
The Reds’ head coach emphasised the importance of winning challenging away matches against the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, and Tottenham to clinch the Premier League title.
“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.”
Arne Slot is hoping to lead Liverpool to a big away win at Tottenham (Image: Getty)
Slot also brushed aside criticism of Ange Postecoglou and the claims from critics that Tottenham are too attacking following their defensive lapses in the Carabao Cup victory against Manchester United, choosing instead to concentrate instead on the threats Spurs pose.
The Dutch tactician said: “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.
“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.
“They’ve just told me didn’t start well against Fulham, now they do and they’re there for first 15 to 20 minutes. They’re crazy when it comes to intensity.”
Diogo Jota is back from injury for Liverpool (Image: Getty)
Slot considers himself fortunate to welcome back Diogo Jota, Harvey Elliott, and Chiesa from injuries, providing him with a full arsenal of attackers for the Spurs match.
He noted that the returnees are still regaining their game fitness and said: “It’s good for us to have six attackers back, but not all six of them are ready to play 90 minutes yet.
“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.”
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1991733/Arne-Slot-Tottenham-Liverpool