Football
How defensive solidity is powering Liverpool’s title bid under Slot
It was clear at the end of last season that Liverpool needed to tighten things up defensively if they were to provide a strong challenge for the title.
They finished third, nine points behind winners Manchester City and seven behind second-place Arsenal, while the Reds had the worst defensive record of the top three, conceding seven more goals than City and 12 more than the Gunners.
So far this season, however, Arsenal have let in four more goals than Liverpool while City have conceded six more.
There is, of course, a long way to go but that is already an encouraging turnaround.
On the face of it, little appears to have changed at the back for the Reds.
The defence remains a familiar and experienced one with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk and Andy Robertson all starting when fit, while Ibrahima Konate is proving Slot’s favoured option to start alongside his captain at centre-back.
That centre-back pairing is flourishing. After the first seven games of last season Liverpool had faced 101 shots on goal, compared to just 64 this season, but Slot believes they offer more than just keeping out goals.
“They have been terrific throughout the whole season to now, not only in defending but the way they start our attacks in a good way,” he said.
“So many good things with the ball and also without the ball.”
Following the impressive 3-0 win against Manchester United last month, Robertson spoke about how there felt to be more control in defence under Slot.
“We look a bit more secure defensively,” he said after the Old Trafford victory.
“We had a lot more control in our game. A clean sheet is massive. To come away to your big rivals like Manchester United and keep a clean sheet is massive.”
Cristiano Ronaldo wants Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne at Al-Nassr, Manchester Utd interested in Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso and Robert Lewandowski has option to extend Barcelona deal.
Al-Nassr and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 39, is urging the Saudi Arabian club to sign Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne when the 33-year-old’s contract with Manchester City runs out next summer. (Mundo Deportivo – in Spanish), external
Manchester United are interested in appointing Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso to replace Erik ten Hag and are willing to wait until the summer for the former Liverpool midfielder. (Todofichajes – in Spanish), external
Aston Villa defender Pau Torres is a target for Manchester United, who are prepared to offer close to £42m for the 27-year-old Spain defender. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external
Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli want to sign Egypt forward Mohamed Salah, 32, and his 33-year-old Liverpool team-mate Virgil van Dijk when their contracts with the Reds run out at the end of the season. (Caught Offside), external
Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, 36, has an option to extend his contract at Barcelona beyond next summer if he meets certain criteria, which he is expected to achieve. (Sport – in Spanish), external
Barcelona are considering sending 21-year-old Spain forward Ansu Fati, who had a stint at Brighton last season, out on loan in January. (Sport – in Spanish), external
England striker Eddie Nketiah, 25, says he left Arsenal to join Crystal Palace in the summer for “opportunities to be on the pitch and improve”. (Independent), external
Mateo Kovacic found his scoring boots to get Manchester City back to winning ways, as boss Pep Guardiola joked it was a “copy and paste” job of Rodri.
Rodri, City’s key defensive midfielder, is basically irreplaceable. But since his season-ending ACL injury, Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan are playing as a double pivot.
Such is City’s style of play that both ended up playing the majority of Saturday’s 3-2 win in Fulham’s half.
It ended a run of two Premier League draws since Rodri’s injury against Arsenal. Failure to win on Saturday would have meant their worst league run in 2024.
Kovacic, 30, is not a goalscoring midfielder. That has never been his job at Dinamo Zagreb, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Chelsea or Manchester City.
But you do not end up with a list of clubs like that without being a top-quality midfielder.
“He is not a top goalscorer but he maybe saw how many goals Rodri has scored in that position and did copy and paste. He scored two fantastic goals,” Guardiola told BBC Match of the Day afterwards.
Kovacic’s first was a deflected shot from a half-cleared corner and his second was a clean strike from the edge of the area early in the second half.
In his post-match news conference, Guardiola added: “They went four to five [defenders]. When they defended with five there is one man free on the edge of the box – Kovacic.
“The two goals were because in that position they can’t defend it. Kovacic was really important. Now opponents know they can’t leave him alone or he can score a goal.”
Kovacic’s double takes him up to three league goals for the season – having also netted against former club Chelsea – his best campaign already since 2014-15 for Inter Milan.
This marked only the second time he has ever scored more than once in a game – after a 2014 Europa League qualifying hat-trick for Inter against Icelandic side Stjarnan.
He celebrated a goal by sucking a thumb and told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It means a lot because my wife is pregnant so it was great to get some goals for the little one.”
Final Score’s Steph Houghton and Dion Dublin believe the Premier League title will “go down to the wire” between Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool.
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Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Gary O’Neil says his side gave away “crazy goals” in their 5-3 defeat at Brentford in the Premier League.
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Southampton boss Russell Martin praises his side for some “brilliant moments” despite a 3-1 defeat at Arsenal.
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Liverpool boss Arne Slot fears he will be without goalkeeper Alisson “for a few weeks” following his injury against Crystal Palace.
The Brazil international, 32, went off in the 79th minute after appearing to pull his hamstring when making a clearance.
With Caoimhin Kelleher absent from the squad because of illness, Vitezslav Jaros came on for his Liverpool debut and made one save to keep out a tame effort from Eberechi Eze as the Reds won 1-0.
“With Alisson it is clear he will be out for maybe a few weeks,” Slot told BBC Match of the Day.
Liverpool had been in Champions League action on Wednesday and had a tight turnaround for the trip to Crystal Palace, with the game having kicked off at 12:30 BST on Saturday.
Slot added: “Maybe this is something the FA should look at – if you play Wednesday evening why do we have an early kick-off in an away game?
“Or they have to look at me and rotate all my players, maybe it is also bad luck, I don’t know.
“The positive thing is that Jaros did really well last season when on loan. He was champion and won the cup. He wanted to play desperately. At this club we need three good goalkeepers. He was outstanding today.”
Alisson, who has been at Liverpool since 2018, missed two games last month with a hamstring niggle.
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