Man City become talk of Liverpool AXA Training Centre after Arne Slot warning

Arne Slot responds to talk of Liverpool AXA Training Centre as remarkable news emerges at Man City

Arne Slot responded to remarkable news from Manchester City in his Liverpool press conference

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Arne Slot started the week by insisting it would be foolish to dismiss Manchester City this season. And come the end of it, the Etihad side were the talk of the AXA Training Centre.

Even before the Liverpool boss took his regular place at the top table to field questions on Friday morning, the gathered hacks were debating the remarkable news Erling Haaland had signed what was generally considered a mind-boggling nine-and-a-half year contract at City.

With reports claiming Haaland will be on a basic £500,000-a-week, it was a sign of both City's intent to hold on to their leading goalscorer and also the vast financial might of their Abu Dhabi owners compared to Liverpool under the leadership of Fenway Sports Group.

And when asked if it was a reminder of how the Reds have to keep operating at the top of their game both on and off the field to keep pace, Slot pointed to the Premier League's other monied heavyweights.

“Not particularly about the investment but we know how good we have to be every single day to compete in this league," says Slot. "It is not only the club you are referring to. Chelsea also spend £1.2billion, (Manchester) United spend an incredible amount.

"Every team spends a lot of money over here, that's why it's such an interesting league to be part of. Some season this club spends a bit more, other seasons other clubs spend a bit more. That's what makes this league so intense and so difficult to win.

"But that's also the reason why we want to be here: you want to compete against the best, with the best, and we are very happy with the team we have at the moment and we are still able to compete with all the teams that are spending incredible amounts of money."

Indeed, that ability to compete is evidenced by Liverpool standing four points clear of the chasing pack at the Premier League summit with a game in hand as they prepare for Saturday's difficult trip to Brentford.

The Reds are two points ahead of their tally at the same stage last season with nearest challengers Arsenal on exactly the same total they were after 21 games last term. City, meanwhile, are 11 points worse off down in sixth.

While Haaland has had a consistent impact since joining City in 2022 with 111 goals in 126 games, Darwin Nunez, who joined Liverpool in the same summer, has struggled to be as prolific.

Nunez scored in Liverpool's 4-1 win at Brentford last season and, having served a one-match suspension, is competing for a start at the weekend with Diogo Jota likely to miss out having suffered a minor injury during the 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.

But when asked about Nunez's recent struggles - the Uruguayan has started only two of the last seven Premier League games - Slot instead concentrated on the forward's overall contribution.

"That's your perception and maybe the perception of other people as well – but it's not my perception that he's struggling with self-confidence," says the Reds boss of talk Nunez has been under par. "He was involved against Accrington Stanley in the first goal again as well, he was involved in the goal against Fulham that (Diogo) Jota scored and he scored one against Southampton.

"I think after that it wasn't that he had many starts – maybe one time, I don't know exactly. For me, it's the life of a striker – sometimes you score, sometimes you don't. And he hasn't started every single game.

"The most important thing for me is that we as a team were able to score every single game, except for the Tottenham one and (Nottingham Forest). So, it tells me that we have so many goals in our team. Darwin will score his goals, like he did for this club already and he will keep doing this.

"But I don't see him struggling that much as the way you see it and he's still involved in goals in the last few games as well."

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