London, England – Liverpool manager Arne Sloat spoke about the upcoming Premier League clash against Manchester City, stressing the difficulty and importance of the match at this crucial stage of the season.
Manchester City are scheduled to visit Liverpool next Sunday, as part of the 25th round of the Premier League.
Slot said during the pre-match press conference: “I remember very well our previous encounter at Manchester City’s stadium, where we had a remarkable first half and controlled the game. This match represents a new opportunity to see how far the team has progressed”.
He added: “We are well aware of the importance of coming out with a positive result, as we are approaching the final stage of the season, where results become the most important factor. Manchester City is a very strong team, and they proved that recently after their victory over Newcastle, even in the absence of a number of their key players”.
The Dutch manager continued: “Our level is constantly improving, and the players are gaining better physical fitness and adapting more to the pace of the English Premier League and Champions League matches. But playing three matches in seven days is a big challenge”.
He added: “Except for some periods, such as the first half against Manchester City and Crystal Palace, we have proven our ability to compete with any team. It is true that we have not yet reached complete stability in results, but we have shown that we are capable of competing with everyone”.
Slot also touched on the tactical aspects, saying: “At the beginning of the season we relied more on possession, and we had clear attacking ideas, but we always needed strong defensive security. Currently we are working on finding the perfect balance between creating chances and avoiding conceding goals”.
Slot: Florian Wirtz has clearly improved
Regarding the development of his player Florian Wirtz, he explained: “I think everyone has noticed the progress he has made, and this is due to his great commitment on and off the field. If a player does not perform at his best at the beginning, including him and giving him confidence helps him to develop, and that is what has happened”.
He added: “Wirtz has always been a standout player with the ball, but the greatest improvement has come in his performance without it, along with the great harmony with his teammates, which makes him more prepared for the demands of the English league, which relies on both sides”.
Slot reveals the status of injured players ahead of the Manchester City match
Slot concluded his remarks by talking about the injured players, saying: “Jeremy Frimpong will not be available this week. As for Joe Gomez, we hope he will be able to participate in training on Saturday, and perhaps be ready to support the team, especially given our shortage of defenders”.
