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Liverpool boss Arne Slot concedes they need to improve in several areas ahead of this weekend’s clash with Manchester United.
The Premier League champions host United, having lost three games on the trot before the international break.
Ahead of Sunday’s clash, Slot opened up on Friday morning discussing where he wants to see his team improve.
The Dutchman said: “I think what we can say is if we compare to last season, we don’t create as many chances but the most xG, chances and shots on target but we’ve conceded too many goals. Nine goals and four from set pieces, not a reflection of chances we’ve conceded.
“Other five were fast breaks, three from open play. Conceding too many crosses, we have to address that and do better. Like Virgil (van Dijk) says, I think he means this that teams are facing us differently. That is also what I have said, long balls compared to last season, already one third of the way through compared to last season after seven games. We have to find answers.” Asked about Mohamed Salah’s slow season start, Slot insists the Egyptian wasn’t solely to blame for their poor form.
He continued: “I think it should not matter who we play on Sunday. If you’ve lost three in a row and you wear the LFC shirt, you have to react. The players give it all every game first to last minute, in three games we had to come back from a goal down, did it twice, but we lost. There should always be a reaction, not only from Mo but all.”
Moving onto the questions around Alexander Isak, Slot feels the Swede is now ready to prove his value after missing pre-season at Newcastle.
He said: “He has had five or six weeks of pre-season, which is normal. Fitness-wise wise he is close to the level and we can judge in a fair way from now on. I know how this industry works, if he plays twice and doesn’t score, that’s not what you want. But he didn’t and I think his pre-season has maybe finished now, he has played a few games, 70-80 mins. So let’s see where he is.” Meanwhile, Slot was also asked about the admission from Alexis Mac Allister that his own form has been disappointing so far this season.
He said, “I haven’t seen his interview but did he mean the quality of play or amount of minutes? He missed a lot of games, we expected him back for pre-season, which he wasn’t and that led to the fact he couldn’t play three in a row, so he was in and out and that is never ideal for a player.
“Like all the others, he is a player who has experienced so much in his career he will be back at the level he and I want from now on.”
