"It is not always about the table" – Liverpool boss Arne Slot makes interesting claim ahead of Chelsea clash
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has stated that his side will face a tough challenge in their Premier League clash against Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday (October 20).
The Reds, who finished third last campaign, are currently atop the Premier League standings with 18 points from seven games. They have registered six victories and kept five clean sheets in the league so far.
Chelsea, on the other hand, are also in stellar form this season. They are in fourth spot with 14 points from seven Premier League matches, losing the same number of games as the Merseyside outfit this term.
At a pre-match press conference, Slot lavished praise on the Blues and suggested that Enzo Maresca's team are likely to be Liverpool's most difficult challenge so far this season. He said (h/t Liverpool Echo):
"If you look at the table, it is [the toughest challenge]. Manchester United is a top club and spent a lot... same for Chelsea in this season but they have done really well. League table, they are the toughest [so far] but it is not always about the table, we had some troubles at Wolverhampton Wanderers too, but it is a challenge, for sure."
Slot, who has lost just one of his 10 total Reds outings, continued:
"Very important [to be good defensively]. If you want to achieve something, we need to be stable defensively. We have done that so far. Now we face even better players. Chelsea, like Manchester United, have a lot of great players and we have to control that as a team but we also have to create our own chances too. Good thing is we have players who can score. An interesting game on Sunday."
The Reds are unbeaten in their last nine games across all competitions against the west London outfit, winning four matches in the process.
Arne Slot opines on Liverpool star's injury ahead of league contest against Chelsea
At a press conference, Arne Slot confirmed that star shot-stopper Alisson Becker is set to miss the Reds' upcoming Premier League home clash against Chelsea. The Dutchman said (h/t Liverpool Echo):
"Alisson is for sure not with us in upcoming weeks, that's a blow for him and us, he did really well for this club for so many years. Caoimhin [Kelleher] did well for us previous years and this year, so we have a good replacement."
Alisson, who is currently recovering from a hamstring problem, has registered five shutouts in eight overall appearances so far this campaign.
Meanwhile, Slot also recently asserted that Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo, and Kostas Tsimikas could be injury doubts for Sunday's clash.