'Definitely': Arne Slot says one Liverpool player is 'stronger and better' now after what he did vs Southampton
Today at 06:00 AM
Liverpool take on Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday as they aim to return to winning ways in the Premier League.
The Reds have drawn each of their last two league games in a run that has seen their lead at the top reduced to two points, although they have a game in hand over second-placed Chelsea.
Arne Slot’s side did win their Carabao Cup game in midweek as they secured a hard-fought 2-1 win against Southampton.
And the Dutchman feels one Liverpool player is slowly coming into his own after his performance at St Mary’s earlier this week.
Arne Slot praises Liverpool summer signing Federico Chiesa
Liverpool opted to go with a much-changed lineup for the Carabao Cup clash, with the likes of Wataru Endo, Tyler Morton and Trey Nyoni all earning rare starts.
The game also saw the injury return of Federico Chiesa, who made only his fourth appearance for the club after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
The Italy international came on as a second-half substitute and took a while to get going before showing some neat touches.
When asked about the Liverpool summer signing, Slot said Chiesa is ‘getting stronger’ as he continues to work his way back up to full fitness.
“He definitely is. You see him in on the pitch now which means he’s getting stronger and better,” said Slot in his pre-match press conference.
“He had to adapt for quite a long time, as expected if you miss team training sessions for so long and come to a league and team with lots of intensity. He’s getting stronger, but he’s also facing a lot of competition in the right-wing position.”
What next for Chiesa?
Chiesa showed against Southampton that he can be Liverpool’s super-sub, with Mohamed Salah set to occupy the right-wing role for most of the important games.
However, with games continuing to come thick and fast for the Reds across all competitions, the Italian could play a bigger role in the coming weeks.
Chiesa has taken time to come into his own for Liverpool, but if his injury issues are past him, he can prove to be a brilliant asset for the club in the second half of the season.
