Arne Slot: Liverpool can leverage early Champions League elimination for Premier League campaign
Arne Slot has indicated that Liverpool’s departure from the Champions League might assist them in their efforts to qualify for the tournament again next season.
The team’s primary objective now will be to secure a position in the Premier League’s top five following their 4-0 aggregate defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the quarterfinals.
This setback followed a similarly significant loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup, but it does provide Slot’s squad with a less demanding schedule compared to some competitors.
Last weekend’s 2-0 victory over Fulham places them in fifth position, four points ahead of Chelsea and three behind Aston Villa and Manchester United with six matches left to play.
Reds manager Slot stated: “If you examine the 15, 20, 25 players who have logged the most minutes this season, many of them are from our squad.
“That indicates a lot and one of the reasons we have been somewhat inconsistent, perhaps why we have allowed so many late goals, is that it is consistently the same players.
“From that viewpoint, it might be beneficial that we are no longer in Europe, but I would certainly prefer to participate in Europe because it also energizes the group when you reach the semifinals of the Champions League.
“I do not view our exit as a positive, but it is the reality, and we now have a bit more time for training.”
The first of those six matches is scheduled for Sunday against derby rivals Everton, marking Liverpool’s inaugural visit to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
“It is always a very unique match, regardless of whether it is the 60th being played in the stadium, but if it is the last one or the first one, it makes it even more significant, if that is even possible,” remarked Slot.
“Naturally, they are in a very strong position at the moment. It will always be a very special match for them, but also for us.”
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Slot’s initial visit to Everton last season resulted in a thrilling match during the final derby at Goodison Park, with James Tarkowski equalizing eight minutes into stoppage time.
Slot, assistant Sipke Hulshoff, Everton’s Abdoulaye DoucourΓ©, and Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones were all dismissed in contentious scenes, with the Reds manager expressing anger towards referee Michael Oliver.
“The crowd did not influence me last season; the referee’s decisions did,” Slot said when asked if he anticipated a different atmosphere in Everton’s new venue.
“Last season was my first Merseyside derby in that stadium, so if we were playing in the same venue, I would likely know what to expect. However, I do not believe a stadium is loud; it is typically the fans who create the noise.
“How much of a difference it will make, I will tell you after the weekend. I expect their fans to be loud, just as our fans will be as well.”
