Reaction from Arne Slot as Liverpool go five points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table
Arne Slot has rejected claims his players took extra motivation from Manchester City’s 2-1 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion as Liverpool overcame Aston Villa 2-0 to extend their Premier League lead to five points.
Goals from Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah were enough for Slot’s side to move further clear of Pep Guardiola’s men, who have now lost four successive games in all competitions for the first time under their Catalan coach.
Asked if his players and the home supporters were further buoyed by that result at the Amex Stadium prior to the 8pm kick-off at Anfield, Slot said his squad certainly needed no extra motivation to perform, despite the fact they will now top the table during November’s international break with a healthy advantage.
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“[It doesn’t get better] because of the first reason you say,” the Liverpool boss said. “If you win it mostly doesn’t get better and if you win the amount of games we do, you can be ahead, it is not sure yet in this league because Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City; all these teams are able to win so many games and that is what they have shown in the last few seasons.
“And then a win against a very good team like Villa, who have done so well in the last few years is always important. I cannot tell you what the fans felt [about Man City’s defeat]. I can only tell you if my players need extra motivation from a result on another pitch, that would not be a good idea.
“If you play at Anfield in front of your own fans you should always be motivated and that is what they have been for the time I have been here now and the years before.
“You should not need motivation from another match and that is definitely not what I felt today with the players. With the fans, it may be different I don’t know. You would have to ask them.”
Liverpool return to action later this month with a trip to Southampton on Sunday, November 24. The day before City host Tottenham Hotspur.
