Liverpool manager Arne Slott has given his players the Christmas break ahead of next weekend’s game against Wolves. The Reds beat rivals Tottenham 2-1 in north London on Saturday night, securing their ninth Premier League win of the season.
Liverpool manager Thomas Frank’s side worked hard, with Xavi Simons sent off in the first half and Cristian Romero also sent off in stoppage time. The Reds looked to be on track with Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike in attack. However, the finale was chaotic as nine Spurs men tried to equalize after Richarlison sparked hopes of a comeback with a late shot. In the end, the away team persevered and grabbed three points, leveling with Chelsea in fourth place.
According to The Athletic, Slott will not ask Liverpool players to train on Christmas Day.
After the win against Spurs, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk explained: “We now have a few days off, recover and then focus on Wolves. First of all, it’s Christmas. Being with my family and staying healthy are the most important things in life.”
Slott is clearly looking to bring some feel-good elements back to Anfield after a difficult season for the Reds.
Liverpool won their first five league games and moved to the top of the Premier League at the start of the season. However, the team suffered six losses in seven Premier League games from the end of September to the end of November, and their form plummeted.
This loss was repeated in the Carabao Cup, where they lost 3-0 at home to Crystal Palace in October, and in the Champions League, where they suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat to PSV at Anfield last month.
However, the Merseyside giants went on to beat Inter Milan at the San Siro, then beat Brighton and Tottenham to record their first consecutive league wins since mid-September.
After the win against Tottenham, Liverpool’s players went straight to a celebratory team meal. And for now, it looks like Slott will be given a chance to lead the team forward after getting through a tricky spell.
“Three points behind Spurs is very nice,” Slott admitted after Saturday’s game. “For us, the goal was to win again, because we need wins to improve our league position a little bit.”
He added: “They were close, they came close a few times. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had the ball for eight and a half minutes in the nine minutes of stoppage time, which is unbelievable when you play with nine men. That’s not what you expect.”
“Maybe that says a lot about where we are this season. When you concede a goal and it’s 2-1 like we did today, we need a few wins to feel a little bit at ease.”
