Liverpool manager Arne Slot will get his first taste of the Merseyside Derby against local rivals, Everton FC, on Wednesday in the Premier League and he has given his impression and what he thinks about the historical fixture between the two sides.
The match at Goodison Park offers Slot’s troops an opportunity to create a nine-point lead at the top of the Premier League, having played 24 games, the same number 2nd-placed Arsenal have already played.
Slot is fully aware that it will not be an easy match, with the atmosphere intensified by the fact that this will be the final time a meeting between these two teams will hold at Everton’s iconic stadium.
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Arne Slot’s impression of the Merseyside derby
The Reds’ coach is particularly mindful of how easily Everton players go down in search of free kicks. He is also wary of referees being quick to penalize Liverpool players. His main reference for this was the match at Goodison last year which saw Liverpool suffer a 2-0 defeat.
Slot, when revisiting the match recently, took note of how many fouls were awarded in Everton’s favour. He said,
“I watched last season’s game for instance and I think we were well prepared, because after just 10 minutes, the referee had already blown his whistle 11 times, 10 of those in favour of Everton – the Liverpool players were ready to compete but every time they made contact, it was a free-kick.”
The Dutch tactician has realistic expectations about how quickly Everton players may react to challenges. He also believes the referee [Michael Oliver] could be influenced by their theatrics.
Slot is confident in his team’s ability to handle the wild atmosphere at Goodison Park. In his words:
“You have to be mentally strong as an away team to resist all of that and stay focused on what you need to do, it’s not the first time for these players to play in such an atmosphere, so I hope they can keep their focus. It’s not just about tactics, they also need to rise above the emotions that come with these kinds of situations.”
The match against the Toffees will present a stern test for Slot. As he prepares for his first Merseyside derby, he faces a crucial challenge. A win would give Liverpool a nine-point advantage over Mikel Arteta’s Gunners.
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