Arne Slot On Silver Lining of Tottenham League Cup Defeat
Today at 09:01 AM
The Liverpool manager wasn't happy about the loss on Wednesday but in a two-legged cup tie with a home game to come a 1-0 deficit can always be overturned.
On Wednesday, Liverpool lost just their second game of the 2024-25 season. That second defeat came on January 8th, in match number 29 in all competitions, with Arne Slot's Reds top of the Premier League and Champions League tables.
That defeat, 1-0 on the road at Tottenham, also came in the first leg of a two-legged League Cup semi-final with a return date set for early in February at Anfield. The situation is, in short, salvageable.
Aside from pointing out the daftness of having to wait an entire month to play leg two of the semi-final in England's second cup competition, then, one might reasonably say that if there ever is a good time to lose a game, Wednesday's was a good time to lose a game.
"I never felt we were going to lose this game after the first 15 to 20 minutes," manager Slot said following the disappointing-but-hardly-end-of-the-world result. "I did feel Spurs started the game better than us. But after that, in my opinion, we had most of the control.
"We played most of the game in their half, had more ball possession, and then [conceding] like this against a team that can play good football, like Tottenham can. It's far from ideal.
"The good thing for us is that if you ever have to lose a game, it's better that you lose one when there is still a second leg. So, far from ideal to lose here but if I ever have to lose, I prefer to lose if there's still a leg to be played."
Coming as it did following a disappointing 2-2 draw in the Premier League against historic rivals Manchester United, it's not been a great new year for Slot's high flying Reds, but if this past week's results are the worst of it this season there will be plenty to celebrate.
Next up, Liverpool face Accrington Stanley on Saturday as they enter the FA Cup at the 3rd Round, with most expecting heavy rotation and a chance for stars with miles in their legs to rest and perhaps not even be on the bench.
Expectation then will be for a full strength—and hopefully fully rested—lineup on Tuesday in the league against Nottingham Forest, with a chance for Slot's Reds to get revenge for their only other loss of the season to date.
