Arne Slot interview: Liverpool boss reflects on journey, Premier League challenges

Liverpool boss Arne Slot is remaining grounded despite his side's incredible season so far in the Premier League. Slot opened up about what drives his team forward amongst a myriad of topics in an interaction.

In Short

• Liverpool sit at the top of the Premier League table
• Slot said he is a calm, rational and family man
• Liverpool boss is seeing each game in the Premier League as a tough one

Liverpool Arne Slot couldn't have hoped for a better first campaign as Liverpool boss. After replacing the legendary Jurgen Klopp at the helm, Slot was given the big task of mounting work his magic at Merseyside and making Liverpool battle it out for the Premier League title. The Dutch manager has certainly exceeded expectations on that front.

Slot's Liverpool are at the top of the Premier League table with 61 points from 26 matches and 8 ahead of Arsenal, who have played 25 games. The Reds are also in the Round of 16 of the Champions League where they will face PSG and in the final of the League Cup. Despite the highs this season, Slot remains grounded and feels that each game in the Premier League is a difficult one.

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The Dutch tactician also opened up about what drives the team to perform, three words that describe him best and more in an exclusive interaction with JioHotstar.

Excerpts from Arne Slot interview

How is the team managing the pressure for the upcoming games?

Slot: You assume that we feel pressure, which we do every single day we are working at this club, because we know what this shirt means, what the club has done in the past. So, we always feel the pressure of doing the best possible job we can. But we are not so much focused on what other people constantly talk about, and that is the league table. We are feeling the pressure of playing a difficult away game at Aston Villa. We are feeling the pressure of playing a difficult away game against City. But for us, every game is difficult because you saw last Sunday when we played Wolves. That was a difficult game for us as well. So, yes, we feel the pressure because we wear this shirt, but that has nothing to do with the league table at the moment.

What drives the team to perform?

Slot: Oh, that is a simple word. We're great. Because every team here in this league has great individuals. Every team, especially the ones we are in competition with. If it's Arsenal, City, Chelsea, Villa. I forget probably a few, but all these teams that are competing with us for something. They all have so many quality players. They all have big squads. And it's not only work rate. Maybe if I can add a second word to it, it's consistency in work rate. Because every team can work once in a while really hard. But to bring this to every single day towards the training session, every three days towards the game, that is what makes it so hard. That’s the first thing that comes to my mind if I look at the players I have available.

What do you think are the biggest challenges this season and how are you gearing up to meet them?

Slot: It's always the team we face and the game plan the manager comes up with. So we know next game, Villa. We know all the quality players they have. We know that there is a mastermind in creating a game plan that makes it so difficult for the other team to play against. We know how difficult it is to play in an away game at Villa. Especially on an evening because the fans are really loud then as well. So it's always the quality of the opponent and the quality of the manager of the other team that brings you the biggest challenge.

Three words that defines / describes Arne Slot

Slot: I would use the word calm, except for the one minute after the Everton game. But normally, I would say calm. Rational, would be the second, family man, if that's okay be third.

Who inspired you to become a football manager?

Slot: I think that was maybe me playing football, me working as a football player with a lot of managers. So you pick things from them. But you also feel like, if you play the game yourself, you feel at a certain moment, if you become a bit older and you become a bit more experienced, what works and what doesn't work. So, I'm talking not only about my own performance, but also what choices I liked and disliked when my teammates made them. And then you add that towards some teams when I was starting to think about getting a manager.

So you get the Liverpool from Klopp, the Barcelona from Pep, and you see certain things where you feel like, this is a bit similar to what I feel if I see my teammates doing certain things that go wrong or right. And then you mostly saw the right example when you watched Barcelona or when you watched Liverpool in terms of choices on the ball, but definitely also the work rate J¼rgen's teams put in without the ball and the counter-press where he's probably known for. So, I think it's a mixture of many managers, but it started off me being inspired by playing the game myself and feeling what works and what didn't.

So, what comes to your mind? When you think about India?

Slot: Oh, India. Food is the first thing that comes to my mind. I don't know if it's exactly Indian-style food, but I think I'm more in a Thai kitchen. I know a bit more about the Thai kitchen than the Indian kitchen, but it will probably be quite similar, I suppose. So, yeah, that's the first thing.

Message to all your Liverpool fans.

Slot: My message to every single Liverpool fan around the world is keep supporting us in whatever way you do. So, if you're in the stadium, please give it your best shout. And every time we need you, try to be there for us. If you're further away in India or every other part of the world, you can still influence the opinion about us, be positive about us, be positive on social media or wherever your platform is to get the best out of us. Because I'm a true believer of the fact that positivity always helps more for everyone, but also for Liverpool, than if we start to get negative. So, yeah, if they do visit the stadium, be as supportive as you can. If you are further away, support us wherever you are able to.

Catch all the Premier League action from Manchester City vs Liverpool on Sunday, February 23, LIVE on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 2 HD, Star Sports 3 and JioHotstar.