“That’s an absolutely ridiculous question!” – Arne Slot was left speechless by a journalist’s audacious query today.
“That’s an utterly bizarre question!” – Arne Slot was left stunned by a journalist’s bold inquiry today.
Arne Slot couldn’t contain his laughter when the first question was asked during his press conference on Friday morning.
The Liverpool manager spoke to the media ahead of his team’s clash with Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday. The two long-standing rivals are heading into the match in vastly different forms and standings, a matchup that Gary Neville has openly expressed his apprehension about.
While Liverpool enjoys a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League, with a game in hand over second-placed Arsenal, Manchester United finds themselves struggling in 14th after suffering five defeats in the past month.
Slot dismisses squad rotation talk At this morning’s press conference, a reporter asked Slot whether he planned to rotate his squad for Sunday’s match, given United’s ongoing struggles and Liverpool’s busy January schedule.
The Liverpool manager couldn’t help but laugh at the question, responding, “That’s a strange question!” before regaining his composure and adding (via Liverpool FC on YouTube): “No, of course, I’m not planning to rest any player, because it’s a big game.”
“I mentioned it before the first match, and I’ll say it again: in my opinion, they have far better players than the current league table suggests.
“It may take some time for Ruben Amorim to unlock their full potential, I’m not sure, but they will definitely improve. They are far, far better than their position in the table indicates right now.”
No wonder Slot was puzzled! Rest players in a league fixture against Manchester United midway through the season, with so much still on the line? It’s no surprise Slot laughed off such a suggestion!
Yes, Liverpool has a packed fixture schedule this month and have earned more than double the points of their opponents, but only the most arrogant or naive managers would even consider resting their best players in such a high-stakes, intense rivalry.
Liverpool will have had a full week to prepare for the visit of their arch-rivals, meaning the players will be well-rested by the time Amorim’s side arrives. It would be reckless to think that United won’t come with fierce determination, especially given their resilience in last season’s encounters. Despite being outplayed for long periods, they managed to avoid defeat in all three of those matches, securing two draws and a lucky FA Cup win.
The heated history of this fixture ensures that, regardless of the context, neither manager could afford to treat it lightly.
Rest assured, Slot will field his strongest possible XI on Sunday and have his players fired up to boost Liverpool’s title challenge while adding to Manchester United’s misery.