Liverpool head Arne Slot has delivered a stark message to his Liverpool squad ahead of Sunday’s showdown with Arsenal — if they want to come away from Anfield with three points, they will have to be much better.
The warning comes after a start to the season that, while unbeaten, has highlighted some defensive vulnerabilities.
Last term Liverpool took nine Premier League games to concede four goals, but this season they have already leaked four in just two. Factor in the Community Shield, and that’s six goals in three competitive fixtures.
Slot, however, is refusing to sound the alarm over what remains a very small sample size. Liverpool are still one of only three Premier League sides with a 100 percent record, and three games is too short a period to make sweeping judgements.
But the Reds’ boss knows improvement is essential against title rivals Arsenal, who, like Liverpool, have won both of their opening league fixtures this term. Slot singled out the Gunners’ set-piece threat as a key area of concern.
“We face a very strong team that was already really good last season and I think they’ve improved their squad a lot during the summer.
If you look at all the quality they have, but especially one thing that stands out in the season until now and what stands out in a negative way for us, is we’ve conceded, if I include the Bilbao game, from four set pieces.
As we know, that’s one of their strengths, not the strength but one of them, because they can play in multiple ways and you can see how well they are managed by Mikel, working for five years together. They can play almost every style there is in football and that tells you how well managed they are.”
While Liverpool head into the clash unbeaten, there are some early warning signs.
Ibrahima Konaté has looked far from assured this season, with his form dipping since a knee injury last year. The Frenchman’s contract situation, as he enters the final 12 months of his deal, has only added scrutiny, with Liverpool reportedly eyeing Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi as a potential replacement.
Meanwhile, new signing Milos Kerkez, brought in for around from Bournemouth for £45 million, is yet to make a major impact. Settling into a new side is never easy, and Kerkez has experienced the same adjustment period that Florian Wirtz went through only in a different position.
If Kerkez follows the trajectory of Andy Robertson, who also took time to adapt after joining from Hull City, Liverpool fans have little to worry about.
But, as the Dutch head coach has identified, set pieces will present one of Liverpool’s biggest challenges on Sunday. Arsenal’s proficiency in these situations, combined with their tactical flexibility under Mikel Arteta, promises a stern test.
Slot knows it, and he has been clear the reigning champions must improve a lot if they are to take three points and make a statement in the early title race.
