Arne Slot Celebrates Solid Defence as Liverpool Moves Closer to Premier League Glory

Ultimately, it was a fairly straightforward affair as Arne Slot’s efficient Liverpool side comfortably overcame Manchester City in the downpour at the Etihad Stadium, putting them in a commanding position for the Premier League title.

Right from the moment Mohamed Salah opened the scoring with a brilliantly executed corner, it appeared inevitable that Liverpool would extend their lead to 11 points in the championship race.

When Salah then assisted Dominik Szoboszlai for Liverpool’s second just before the break, it effectively sealed the game.

While Liverpool didn’t particularly captivate fans for the remainder of the match, they expertly managed proceedings, easily absorbing City’s possession.

Although Slot’s team boasts a league-leading tally of 64 goals, they are not the flamboyant outfit that clinched the title in the 2019/20 season under the charismatic Jurgen Klopp.

Slot, the Dutch manager, doesn’t appear overly focused on aesthetics, instead prioritising the relentless pursuit of points.

His team held just 34% possession against City on Sunday, but this statistic only highlights Liverpool’s defensive resilience, contrasting with Wednesday’s frenetic 2-2 draw at Aston Villa, which was more of an outlier.

“Just three days ago we drew against Villa and people were saying we weren’t in a good place, yet here we are winning again, and opinions change rapidly,” Slot remarked to Sky Sports.

“Ideally, we would dominate possession, but City revel in holding the ball and are very comfortable with it.

“Your best chance of succeeding here is to defend exceptionally well. They didn’t create many significant opportunities. It’s easy for us to stay calm because we know what hard work is required. This win was more about our defence than attacking flair.”

It would take an extraordinary downfall for Liverpool to relinquish their grip on the title race, and jubilant away fans were already celebrating a potential 20th English championship at the final whistle.

However, Slot remains cautious and is not taking anything for granted.

“In any other league, this lead might feel comfortable, but here, every match poses new challenges,” the former Feyenoord coach cautioned reporters.

“The fans can chant all they like. They’ve been singing for a while, but as a team, we recognise the immense effort required for each victory.”

Liverpool now sits 20 points ahead of a City side that was expected to challenge for a fifth consecutive title this season.

“What we can ascertain is that no one predicted us being title contenders at the beginning of the season,” Slot concluded.

“It’s hard to believe that anyone in football foresaw City not to be closely trailing us at the top of the league, if not leading it.”

See stats from the match here