Arne Slot has repeatedly said that, Liverpool can not be judged until they face a big challenge against a big opponent. And after the draw with Arsenal, Slot can confidently talk about The Kop's resilience.
A win at Anfield against Chelsea was a challenge for a progressing team. However, the trip to the new Emirates was seen as a real test for Slot's talents as well as Liverpool's ambitions in the post-Jurgen Klopp era.
In fact, Arsenal were the better team, the more creative and the more threatening. Despite this, with two leads, the Gunners still let Liverpool walk away with a point. After nine rounds, Liverpool, not Arsenal, were the closest to winning Manchester City in the league.
In the press conference after the match, Slot admitted Arsenal played better than Liverpool. At the same time, the Dutch "captain" was also pleased with the spirit of the players, although they had one day less off than the opponents.
"The last game was very eventful and interesting. Both Arsenal and Liverpool scored from a fixed position. In my opinion, Arsenal are the better team than Liverpool. They deserve to lead by a goal in the first half.
Liverpool had less time to recover and prepare for this match. Looking at the strength that the students showed in the second half, I felt satisfied. Despite two times being overtaken by Arsenal, we still managed to win back a point" - Slot said.
Liverpool of Slot presents a different image from Klopp's – the team is often hailed as a ‘spirit monster'. They play a more disciplined 4-3-3 formation and midfielders Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister often retreat deeper. As a result, the ‘red brigade' is harder to beat, but on the flip side, Liverpool of Slot lacks illusion.
After nine matches in charge in the Premier League, Slot's team finished second in the standings and were only one point behind City. They had lost in the Emirates the previous season when defending indiscreetly, but Slot now put more emphasis on safety. Overall, the Dutch strategist passed yet another test.
"What amazes me is that people say Liverpool have an easy start. But, for me personally, there are no easy matches in the Premier League.
We faced many teams in the lower half of the table, but Liverpool also faced strong teams like Man United and Chelsea" - Slot added.
