Slot Commends Salah’s Comeback on a Pivotal Evening

Arne Slot carries fond memories from his time in Marseille, a city where his Feyenoord team clinched a spot in the Europa Conference League final back in 2022. As he prepared for this week’s match at the Stade Velodrome, he reflected on those significant moments.

Curiously, he was also confronted with a rather inappropriate inquiry regarding Xabi Alonso’s potential move to Liverpool. However, any speculation surrounding the Reds’ manager was swiftly silenced by a classic European away display from his squad, which now includes Marseille among the teams they’ve triumphed over this season, joining Eintracht Frankfurt and Inter Milan.

Currently, Liverpool boasts an impressive unbeaten streak of 13 matches across all competitions (W7 D6), marking the longest active run among teams in Europe’s top five leagues. This remarkable achievement deserves recognition, especially considering the fact that their last defeat was in November.

For Slot, this match marked a crucial victory, being the first time Mohamed Salah started for Liverpool since November 4, when they triumphed over Real Madrid in the Champions League. It appears a definitive separation has been established after Salah’s comments at Leeds, allowing both the player and manager to focus on the club’s success.

It’s clear that Salah’s contributions are invaluable. Before the match, Slot commented to TNT Sports, “In the instances where I chose not to play him, I was experimenting with different strategies. We’ve faced challenges in converting possession into goals. If there’s any player in Liverpool’s history capable of scoring, it’s Mo Salah.”

Although Salah didn’t add to his club record of 46 Champions League goals for Liverpool, having missed a clear opportunity in the second half, the overall confidence displayed by Liverpool in their 4-2-2-2 formation should please Slot and provide him with insights for future matches.

Slot remarked, “It highlights how professional he [Salah] is that he can be away for over a month with another team and still be fit enough to play a full 90 minutes for us after just one training session. He was very close to scoring, which is usually expected from him, but it didn’t hinder us since we managed to find the net three times.”

With Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai creating opportunities behind Hugo Ekitike and Salah, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez took charge of the flanks. Both summer acquisitions excelled in their roles, with Frimpong’s vigor allowing Salah to concentrate on his offensive responsibilities, although the Egyptian still put in commendable work defensively.

Steven Warnock noted on Match of the Day, “Salah integrated well into Liverpool’s formation. To maximize his potential, continuity and stability are crucial, so I anticipate Slot will employ him in this manner again. This setup alleviates some of his defensive duties, enabling him to conserve energy and enhance his threat on the pitch.”

Warnock continued, “Tonight, it felt as though he was always in a position to exploit defensive weaknesses, creating two significant chances where he could have finished better. Both full-backs performed admirably, contributing in both offensive and defensive phases, effectively providing width for Liverpool while also fulfilling their defensive responsibilities.”

As Slot and Liverpool continue their campaign, a pressing concern remains how to effectively manage opponents who employ a low defensive block. Even former captain Steven Gerrard advised Slot to refrain from discussing this tactic further.

Gerrard asserted, “I’m genuinely happy for him. Managing under such pressure is no easy feat. His tactical approach was spot-on tonight and deserves recognition. He really should stop bringing up low blocks. They’ve been a part of the game against Liverpool since my playing days.”

Slot acknowledged, “I understand the inconsistencies stem from our performance against different styles. When a game is open, it varies greatly from facing a low block. If we struggle, it’s primarily due to that challenge.”

While it’s unlikely Bournemouth will adopt a low block strategy in their upcoming match on Saturday, Andoni Iraola may take note of Liverpool’s recent difficulties and opt for that approach. Nevertheless, for now, Liverpool can relish this victory, adding another memorable chapter for Slot in southern France.