Arne Slot explained "three elements" that are central to Liverpool's strong defensive structure amid an excellent start to the Premier League season.
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Reds have best defensive record in Premier LeagueHave conceded just three times in eight matchesSlot revealed the secret to successFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
With an exceptional record of seven clean sheets in 12 games across all competitions, Slot’s Liverpool have only allowed five goals in total. In the Premier League, they have shipped in three goals, while Nottingham Forest, the next closest, had conceded six before facing Leicester City on Friday.
AdvertisementGOAL/GettyWHAT SLOT SAID
Slot attributes Liverpool’s defensive resilience to three key elements: dominance in possession, the high-calibre players in defence, and remarkable teamwork during challenging game phases. Speaking to the press, the Dutch manager explained: "One of them is that we – most games, almost all of them, maybe except for one – we dominated and controlled for large parts of the game. So it helps if you dominate, if you have the ball. But I also like that if there were difficult parts in the game, or for large parts in the game like we had against Chelsea, that the work rate is incredible. That is something that’s very important.
“If you combine that with having the likes of Virgil and Ibou and the two goalkeepers we’ve used until now, that is probably one of the reasons why we haven’t conceded that much. Then to be aware of the fact that we also have Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez, we’re in a good place when it comes to centre-backs – and the goalkeeper speaks for itself I think.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Although Liverpool have maintained a tight defence, recent games have seen the Reds securing victories by narrow margins. Each of their last three league matches has been won by just one goal, a trend that also appeared in their recent Champions League fixture against RB Leipzig. Nonetheless, Slot is not concerned with the margin of victories and added: "I think every game has its own story. The Leipzig game, I said about the difference in the period of rest we had in between the games, so that could be a factor where Leipzig were, in the end of the game, a bit better than we were.
“I don’t know if it had anything to do with it, but it could. I think when I look at the Crystal Palace game it was one or two transition moments where we were still, in my opinion, dominating the game but we were a bit unlucky or we didn’t have a good enough rest defence – combined with some set-pieces. I liked the last six minutes of injury time we had in Leipzig where we constantly had the ball and controlled it. Those moments were not difficult.
“Also the Leipzig game, the first chance they had in the last 10 to 15 minutes was from a second phase set-piece. But yeah, you also concede the set-pieces, the other team is a bit stronger than you at that moment. I’m not worried, but I would prefer to see that we dominate until the end of the game. But it’s also good to see that, if we have to defend, that we have a team that defends with 11, with two outstanding centre-backs and a goalkeeper that makes saves as well.”
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?
Liverpool’s commanding start to the season sees them narrowly leading Manchester City by a single point at the top of the Premier League standings. However, Slot's defence will be tested by a free-flowing Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, who have scored 15 times in eight matches.