LIVERPOOL, 21 OCT – Arne Slot said Liverpool rose to the challenge after defeating Chelsea 2-1 to regain the lead in the Premier League yesterday.
The Reds have not faced any of the top nine teams in the table in their opening seven league games this season giving Slott an easy start in his challenge of replacing Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool were lacking at Anfield but managed to create another win thanks to Mohamed Salah’s penalty and Curtis Jones’ second-half winner after Nicolas Jackson had equalized for Chelsea.
“The better the team you face, the more you have to fight,” Slot said.
“It helps if you play against Chelsea, it’s a big game and everyone feels it. We felt it and the fans felt it because they were there for us today. We showed up, that’s the most important thing,” he added.
The visit of Chelsea marks the start of a difficult task for the Slot team in the coming months.
Liverpool face Arsenal, Brighton, Aston Villa and Manchester City in four of their next five Premier League games, as well as Champions League games against RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid before the end of November.
“This is our biggest test, to play the Champions League and the Premier League, the toughest games, three days in a row,” added Slot.
“A lot of other games are difficult but this is probably the most difficult because of the amount of quality players they have and the structure they have. We had to fight hard to be in this match.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea suffered their first league defeat since Enzo Maresca’s debut as manager against Manchester City on the opening weekend of the campaign.
But there are plenty of positives for Maresca as the Blues are a different side to the side they were beaten 4-1 on their last visit to Anfield in January.
“We don’t like to lose points and lose games, but if you have to choose a path, this is the way,” said Maresca.
“We came here and tried to control the game. Most of the game we played in their area and I thought that was a great performance.
“I came here many times in the past and I know how difficult it is but the way we controlled and managed the game was fantastic. This is the right direction,” said Maresca again. – AFP
