Slot Talk: It "Feels For Us as Two Points Dropped"
01/06/2025 06:18 PM
Liverpool put in a terrible performance against Manchester United
Speaking to the press after Liverpool's turgid draw at home to Manchester United, head coach Arne Slot was clear that the result felt like points lost rather than one gained
Of course, it feels for us as two points dropped. I think many people, what stays in their head for a long time is what happens in the end and that was a big chance for [Harry] Maguire, of course. But what we tend to forget is two minutes before, Virgil [van Dijk] had maybe such a big chance as he had to make it 3-2 for us. In the end, it was a difficult game. A bit similar to maybe the Nottingham Forest game, where the playing style of both teams was quite similar.
Defending in a low block with a lot of bodies and if they had the ball, not the risk of build-up but play it long. Every free-kick they got somewhere in and around their own half or our half, they brought it in, so that was a bit similar to Forest. That is not always easy then to play against that style of football and that's what showed against Forest and it showed again today. Especially if they have such good, quality players that can defend so well, then it is not so easy to play it through that low block that they had.
The Reds' boss noted that United's approach made it harder for his team to exert control over the match:
It's not so easy to take control if the other team plays every ball into your last line, then the ball is constantly in the air and there's constantly duels. That is, I think, what makes it difficult. We couldn't control it completely because every time we had control, we had a shot on target, [Andre] Onana put the ball on the ground and hit it long towards our half. Then the ball is open. Of course, we had to do much better in the two goals we conceded, but that's what every manager says, probably – [Ruben] Amorim will tell you they had to do better in the two goals we scored. Taking control against a team that plays almost every ball into your last line is not as easy as [against] another playing style.
Slot is perfectly fair in his assessment of a frustrating watch, which seemed a match where the home side was much more affected by the weather conditions than the visitors. It certainly felt like Liverpool failed to win any second balls, and failed to connect in and out of possession — something emphasized by every intended pass that trickled instead out of play.
The Reds have a break from the grueling league run as they play in domestic cups instead this week. Hopefully by the next league fixture they will have regained a rhythm.
