Liverpool’s Arne Slot says he is Ange Postecoglou ‘fan’ ahead of Tottenham clash

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has said that he likes Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou's brand of attacking football. PHOTO: REUTERS

UPDATED Dec 21, 2024, 11:31 AM

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LONDON – Liverpool manager Arne Slot is a fan of Ange Postecoglou’s gung-ho approach to football and hopes he wins a trophy – just not the League Cup – after the teams were paired together in the semi-finals.

Premier League leaders Liverpool also travel to face Spurs in the English top flight on Dec 22, needing to win to keep fast-charging Chelsea at bay.

Tottenham, chasing their first trophy since their League Cup win in 2008, beat Manchester United 4-3 in a chaotic quarter-final in the same competition in midweek.

Postecoglou has been criticised by some for his unwillingness to compromise on his attacking instincts but he gave a passionate defence of his approach after the match, asking: “Are you not entertained?”

And Slot admits he is a devotee of the Australian’s methods, saying his team are a “joy” to watch.

“I hope, hope, hope that he wins a trophy,” he said on Dec 20.

“Not the League Cup but I’m completely a fan of his team for the Europa League because people always talk about trophies, trophies, trophies, and that is so important.

“Now, for me, his brand of football, his style of football is so much more important and if he can combine it with something, that would be so good for football because then people can stop talking about too attacking or whatever.

“How on earth can you play too much attacking football?”

Liverpool had a nine-point cushion at the top of the Premier League earlier in December but Chelsea could be at the summit when Slot’s team kick off in London against Spurs.

The Blues are just two points behind and they clash at Everton before the Reds are in action.

But Slot, whose team have a game in hand on their rivals, said it was too early to make judgements on the title race.

“I look at it like I’ve said for the three, four, five months – judge the table after 19 games because then everybody has played the same opponents,” the Dutchman said.

“Probably we all had a bit of the same bad luck... that means Arsenal for example had a lot of red cards in the beginning of the season, that’s why they dropped points.

“Now we were unfortunate to receive a red card (Andy Robertson was sent off in last week’s 2-2 draw with Fulham) and we dropped points as well... Don’t look at it where you were during the season – it is about where you are at the end of the season.”

The Liverpool boss also gave an update on Italian forward Federico Chiesa, who has faced fitness issues and played just four games in all competitions since moving from Serie A giants Juventus in the summer.

“You see him on the pitch (in the 2-1 League Cup quarter-final win over Southampton), which means he’s getting stronger and he’s getting better,” Slot said.

“He had to adapt for quite a long time. I’ve said so many times, (it is) as expected if you miss team training sessions for so long and then you go to a league where the intensity is so high as well, and to a team that plays with a lot of intensity. Yes, he is getting strong, but he is also facing competition in the right wing position.”

As for Spurs, Postecoglou said defender Destiny Udogie and forward Timo Werner are likely to be fit. Udogie limped off during their 5-0 win over Southampton last week while Werner has been ill.

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, defenders Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, and forward Richarlison remain sidelined, while midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur is suspended until the end of December.

Spurs still have seven players out, but despite their injury struggles, they ended a five-match winless streak with their dominant victory over Southampton, before eliminating United in the League Cup. AFP, REUTERS

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