Slot looks for positives as Liverpool prepare to host troubled Tottenham

Liverpool boss Arne Slot
Liverpool boss Arne SlotReuters / Murad Sezer

Liverpool boss Arne Slot believes a positive week awaits them after their midweek defeat at Galatasaray.

Liverpool host Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday before doing the same against Gala as they seek to overturn a 1-0 deficit in their Champions League round of 16 tie.

Slot insisted this morning: "We don't think everything should be much worse than it was before but we didn't play our best game of the season. I also saw for an away leg in Europe we were able to generate enough chances to score a goal.

"More than another team might do away in CL, but we have struggled with converted the chances we have and we have a bad cocktail of conceding chances and goals. If we cannot repair that every game will be difficult.

"But I have confidence we have quality players and the next two games are at home.

"I am really looking forward to playing twice at home now with the support from the fans that can make a massive difference."

Tottenham expectations

On facing a struggling Tottenham, Slot accepts Liverpool are expected to win at Anfield.

He continued: "I think if Spurs are first in league everyone would still expect us to win at Anfield. Same as Man City, Arsenal...we are expected to win at home.

"We can win our 1500th game at home, so expectations come from history, we can win a lot of games, home games, doesn't matter who we face, expectations are always sky high. This club is able to win things. That is what we have done last few years."

Slot added, "We are a top club, the bar should be high by the people around us. Last season we achieved one of things we wanted to achieve. Won the league, close to winning the Carabao Cup. Now we're still in two cups, CL and FA Cup and we compete."

Gravenberch and Ngumoha

Slot was asked about the boost Ryan Gravenberch's new contract offers the club. The Dutchman, however, conceded the midfielder hasn't met the standards of last season's title-winning campaign.

He explained, "I don't rank them in order, all different profiles, but obvious and clear me and the club sees his importance and signed a new deal as a result of development.

"A young player signed from our model, has the ability to grow. First season wasn't at last season's level but that is normal for young players who develop and there is more to come from them. So that is our model, young players who join a great environment with so many great people working here to improve those players. And when their peak is coming they are still playing for us."

On 17-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha, Slot admits he is in line for a starting spot on Sunday.

He confirmed: "It's not that we think so far ahead for his career but we have treated him carefully, I have said that before. He cannot be too many days on the pitch because of stress fractures, players at this club have had that, Jayden Danns but Rio can start for us.

"I said he would get more playing time and we saw that so he is an option to start one of the upcoming three games."

Season run-in

Slot also set out his target for Liverpool for the remainder of the season. Liverpool currently sit sixth on the Premier League table.

The manager said, "What I want is that I am able that every single player gets the maximum out of everything until the end of the season. That is the aim for me and the players, I am sure.

"It's the only way to get the maximum of what is in it for us. Sometimes we need a bit of luck, like the last-16 last year, penalties, so close to beating PSG and they went on to win it. So the margins are small and we have to fight for them to make them bigger and bigger every day." 

The clash with Tottenham offers Slot and his players to achieve a major landmark in Liverpool's history. Defeating Tottenham would see Liverpool reach 1500 victories.

Slot concluded: "It only pushes me and us, we hold ourselves to the highest standards and this is another example of how successful this club has been and still is. 

"If we reach that mark I am not completely responsible because I wasn't there 1500 games! But it shows you are at a top club and we work every day to win something. We are in a lucky situation we are at a club where we can win something."