Arne Slot rejected the theory that Liverpool could benefit from the shock fa cup defeat at the Plymouth Argyle and asked his team to show a “different side of our” when they face Merseyside Everton’s opponents tomorrow night.
Liverpool put a weakened team at the park’s home at the weekend and started as the championship fighters won 1-0 to finish Reds’ hopes for a quadruple.
Some experts suggested that they get off the competition could boost Liverpool’s chances of success in the Premier League, Champions League and EFL Cup – meet Newcastle in the final at Wembley next month – but Slot did not positively seek for what was a annoying setback.
He said: “There was a wise man who once told me, nothing good comes from the loss of a football game and I totally agree.
“Certainly we would have been prepared to play six games in 18 days or seven in 21 or eight in 24 because this is the program we are. Now we lose this game, there is a time when we have a normal week but that is definitely not what we wanted when we went to Plymouth. “
On the Merseyside 👊🔴 derby 👊🔴 pic.twitter.com/vvidgwsfb1
– Liverpool FC (@LFC) Feb 1025 1025
The reception would have become stronger in Plymouth
Slot said he intended to play a stronger team against Plymouth, but the conditions meant that his hands were tied.
“It was difficult because the plan was to play with Joe (Gomez) for 60 minutes or more. The plan was to start Curtis (Jones), but he came on Sunday and said he didn’t feel good enough to play like that and suddenly we lost Two major players, “he said.
“I think people know the situation of Darwin (Nunez’s) that he became a dad one or two days before the game and that happened in Spain, so he came a little later.
“There were some circumstances that were not perfect when it comes to Plymouth. The idea was to play with an even stronger team, but this team would still have to win this game and the fact that we didn’t do it and the fact that it didn’t We did against PSV, also tells us that these players definitely need these games to make the best of them.
“It’s so difficult to make the best of them if they play almost no games and that’s again because it’s frustrating for them.”
Van Dijk and Salah to return
The reception will throw away its big weapons when Liverpool makes a short trip to Stanley Park with Virgil Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah restored to the original line.
And waits for an answer from the weekend setback.
He said: “It should have an impact because if you work on a club like this, you have to compete for every trophy, we said it from the beginning.
“We beat the Accrington Stanley, but to lose to Plymouth, of course, it is not acceptable. As a team and I think our fans are frustrated by this result.
“We have to show a different side of us tomorrow because it was not only the result, the performance is far from Liverpool’s standards.”
Ready for the final Derby Merseyside in Goodison Park 👊🔴 pic.twitter.com/zzi2TFG6G1
– Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 11th 2025
Goodison ready for a final derby
It will be the final Derby Merseyside to be played at Goodison Park before Everton moves to their new stadium at Braramy Moore Dock and the atmosphere is likely to be electric.
“I think it’s an additional reason why the atmosphere will be even better than all this before,” Splot said. “I haven’t been to one before. But people tell me at Goodison Park, as in Anfield, it’s always a fantastic atmosphere.
“You have to be mentally strong as the remote team. When you have the ball you have to be as calm as you can, but it’s not the first time for those players playing in atmospheres like this, so I hope they can focus on what I need to to do.
“I guess our players are ready for another battle tomorrow for the simple reason that they are ready for the whole season and many of them are experienced in this tie.”
Trent could return
Gomez, who fell to Plymouth after just 11 minutes, is out, but Trent Alexander-Arnold could be appropriate to return.
“Trent has been part of a workout with us yesterday, so let’s see how it is today,” Slot said. “He will train hope with us again today and then we will decide if we get him in the game.
“Joe, it’s the same foot and again where he had the injury last time, so we still evaluate it, but surely it won’t be available tomorrow. It’s a concern (that it’s the same leg).”
