Slot: Satisfied with Van Dijk and Konaté-led Defense, Will Do His Best to Lead the Team to Conquer the Emirates Stadium

This weekend, Liverpool will face a crucial match in the 9th round of the Premier League, traveling to the Emirates Stadium to challenge Arsenal. Before the game, Liverpool’s manager Slot attended a press conference, answering questions about the prospects of the match, injuries within the team, and the internal atmosphere.

Slot first addressed the issue of injured players, saying, “The players are all feeling good, but some may not be ready for the weekend’s match. Chiesa might participate in training today, but Diogo (Jota) won’t, and Connor (Bradley) will only know tomorrow if he can join the team training. Alisson? His recovery is progressing well, as expected, but this is not something that can be achieved in the short term, so it’s difficult to determine. We will assess him in the final stages of his recovery, but it’s still early, and there’s no need to expect him to play in the cup match against Brighton.”

Regarding the away match against Arsenal, Slot believes it will be a tough game, but Liverpool should not back down. He said, “As in the previous match against Chelsea, the opponent showed a strong side at Anfield. Arsenal and Chelsea have similar formations and both have excellent full-backs. Given that Arsenal has been ahead of us and Chelsea in recent seasons, I believe this match will be even tougher.”

Slot thinks that the competition in the Premier League this season will be very open, and Liverpool must be mentally prepared to face the challenges. He said, “We need to score points in the competition, but at this stage, it’s unclear who will be the biggest competitors. Arsenal will definitely be one of them, and getting points against them is important. It’s been a long time since we’ve won against Arsenal in the league? If you calculate by mathematical probability, Liverpool could win all the matches. It’s very difficult to win at Arsenal or Manchester City’s home ground, but on Sunday, we will try our best.”

Liverpool is currently the team with the fewest goals conceded in the Premier League and has won all four away matches. Slot views this achievement calmly, saying, “We emphasize ball control and game management on the field, so if you have possession, it helps the defense. But I also like how the team works together to keep a clean sheet during difficult moments in our matches. Van Dijk and Konaté are definitely the biggest contributors, and Kouassi and Gomez have also done well. Our center-back position is in good shape right now. I don’t have specific expectations for the team’s performance, but I do have expectations for how the players perform on the field. I always think about how to make this team reach its full potential.”