New Liverpool boss Arne Slot joked that he now knows why his predecessor Jurgen Klopp hated 12:30 kick-offs after seeing their paintings to victory at Ipswich.
Mo Salah scored in the season opener for the ninth time to set a Premier League record, five minutes after offering an assist to Diogo Jota for the goal that gave Liverpool the lead. But Slot told his players that his attitude wasn’t smart enough after seeing them beaten by newly-promoted Ipswich.
He took out young defender Jarell Quansah at half-time and rewarded him with a forty-five-minute moment that made him hugely happy. Slot said: “Today I learned why Jurgen Klopp doesn’t like kick-offs at 12:30!I didn’t like them at half-time”!
“I also learned that it is true that there are no easy games in the Premier League and that we have to play like we did at the moment if we want to win.
“We lost too many duels. They were very competitive, which earned them 3 yellow cards, but in a way they were.
“In my opinion, we haven’t taken good enough care of him. I said at half-time: “if you need to win here, you will first have to intensify your efforts to win your duels and fight”.
“When we won our duels, he gave us a lot of ownership and led to our two goals. “
Slot also believes Salah, 32, has many miles ahead of him but when asked about the deadlock over a new deal, he said: “If all goes well, I am now in Brentford and not at the end of the season. “
“If I see what he [Salah] is doing to keep his form the way it is and be in a position to play each and every game, he still has many years left to play. “
Asked if Salah can be Liverpool’s big player this season, the Dutchman said: “I don’t really like a single player, I prefer the team to the individual.
“He [Salah] can score his goals with smart runs, smart assists. Mo also wants the team, but we also have more artistic Americans who can play. “
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