Liverpool manager Arne Slot said Friday that winning the Premier League title at Anfield was one of the best days of his life as he turned his thoughts towards next season.
The Reds crushed Tottenham 5-1 on Sunday to seal a record-breaking 20th English league title with four games to spare, basking in a sensational atmosphere at their packed home ground.
“Maybe for all the Liverpool fans, but for many of them, one of the best days of their lives, and I think it was the same for me,” said Slot.
“The way the whole day went, arriving at the stadium, how intense the fans already were, then during the game going 1-0 behind, so it even felt like, ‘Oh, they’re not going to give it to us, we have to work for it’.
“Scoring the goals, seeing how much it meant to the players but also to the fans, for me, was really special to be part of.”
Liverpool will travel to face fifth-placed Chelsea on Sunday before taking on Arsenal, Brighton and Crystal Palace in their remaining games.
“It’s nice that we play some very strong teams with Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton and Palace, so that gives immediate challenge to those games,” said Slot,
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“It’s the end of the season but we also have to look at this as the start of next season already.”
The Dutchman said he was surprised by the 22-point between his side and Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea, whom he felt were the better team when they met in October, even though Liverpool won 2-1.
“We found a way to win, and that is a quality that we didn’t need a lot, because mostly we were the better team on the pitch,” he said.
“But in that game we had to suffer more than any other game, maybe. So to be so many points ahead of them is a big compliment for everyone here at this club.”
The former Feyenoord boss said he would rotate in the final games of the season.
“Some of them deserve to play already earlier this season because they’ve trained so well,” he said. “They are good enough to play for this club but I mainly chose the same players.
“And I think this is also a moment to see where they are, also looking towards next season maybe a bit already. But definitely also because they deserve to play this season.”
Slot said Liverpool’s Premier League triumph would be a boost in terms of recruitment.
“Winning the league, having these fans, I think this is a big attraction to every player we want to bring in, and that’s definitely helpful,” he said.
Captain Virgil van Dijk and top-scorer Mohamed Salah have recently signed new contracts to stay at Liverpool but Slot said there was no update on Trent Alexander-Arnold, who continues to be linked with a move to Real Madrid in the summer transfer window.
AFP
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
