Slot Talk: “It Feels Like a Disappointment to Drop Two Points”

Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Whether Liverpool’s 3-3 draw with Newcastle was a point earned or two dropped, what matters now is refocusing with Everton up next for Arne Slot’s Reds.

On Wednesday, Liverpool put in a tired performance against Newcastle and can count themselves lucky to have ended up with even a single point that means they didn’t lose as much of their lead at the top of the Premier League table as they otherwise might have—and might have deserved.

On Wednesday, Liverpool had a 3-2 lead in the 83rd minute thanks to a Mohamed Salah goal and looked to be heading, deservedly or not, towards taking all three points before individual errors led to a Newcastle equalizer in the 90th minute and a dropped two points for Arne Slot’s Reds.

“There were moments in the game where you thought if we could come away from here with a draw it would be a good result,” Slot reflected after the game ended 3-3. “But those moments were mainly in the first half. In the second half, especially after we scored, I thought we were really impressive.

“Then, one minute before the end being up, it feels like a disappointment to drop two points. But we have to give credit to them, they were more intense than us. They forced us into too many mistakes in the first 45, but it was difficult for them to keep the intensity of the going for all of the second half.”

It’s hardly an end of the world result. Liverpool are still top of the Premier League table. They have a seven point edge on Chelsea and Arsenal. They’re nine up on a Manchester City side they dominated en route to a 2-0 victory just this past weekend—after a mid-week demolition of Real Madrid.

It’s also probably inevitable that, sooner or later, the exertions of the first four months of the season would catch up to Slot’s high-flying Reds. That there would be a game where key players looked visibly tired and tactically the team simply didn’t click, at least not as well or consistently as they had been.

Having had that game on Wednesday and still taking a point has to class as a success, no matter that the timeline of the match makes it feel like two points dropped at least as much as a point earned. Now, all that matters is ensuring a better performance on Saturday in the derby against Everton.