Arne Slot hoping to 'act differently' in Merseyside derby but 'can't promise' ahead of Liverpool v Everton
Updated 01/04/2025 at 11:39 GMT+1
Liverpool and Everton will contest the second Merseyside derby of the season on Wednesday evening. The first ended in dramatic fashion as Everton scored late to draw 2-2, with Liverpool head coach Arne Slot sent off after the final whistle and given a two-match ban. Slot has reflected on the incident and how he is hoping to avoid a repeat, as well as discussing Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Trent 'fully focused on his recovery' after Real Madrid rumours, says Slot
Video credit: SNTV
Arne Slot hopes he will "act differently" if his second experience of the Merseyside derby is as fiery as the first - but "can’t promise" that will be the case.
Liverpool head coach Slot was sent off after the final whistle of the dramatic 2-2 draw against Everton in February following a confrontation with referee Michael Oliver.
Slot, who was given a two-match touchline ban and fined £70,000, said afterwards that "emotions got the better of me".
Liverpool face Everton again this Wednesday in the Premier League and Slot is looking to avoid a repeat.
"I am hoping I will act differently next time, but I can’t promise," he said on Tuesday.
"But what I am also sure about is I will be so, so surprised if I experience eight minutes of so many controversial decisions.
"But you never know, football is unpredictable."
With Liverpool leading the Premier League table by 12 points and on course to win the title, one of the big talking points ahead of the game has been the future of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The defender is one of three key Liverpool players out of contract this summer, along with Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, and has been strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid.
Slot says Alexander-Arnold’s focus is returning to full fitness after missing England’s recent World Cup qualifiers with an injury that will also keep him out against Everton.
"His situation is that unfortunately he is injured. Otherwise, people probably would have spoken about him having one or two brilliant performances for the England team," he said.
"But he is injured, so for him he is fully focused for his recovery and for us we are trying to help him to be back as early as he can."
Slot also added that he is not affected by the talk around the futures of Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk.
"It's a situation that is there for eight or nine months now," said Slot.
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Highlights: Tarkowski strikes late as Jones, Doucoure and Slot see red in post-match chaos
Video credit: TNT Sports
"These three players have performed so well under these circumstances. So no, it does not affect me at all."
Liverpool will be looking to bounce back from successive cup defeats before the international break.
They lost to Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League and were then beaten in the Carabao Cup final by Newcastle.
Slot believes that the defeat to Newcastle was the first game that his side "deserved" to lose since he took charge.
"I think there was a bit of noise about us losing against Paris St-Germain and us losing against Newcastle as well. I always try to be rational. I was a bit more frustrated about the final, because I think we deserved to lose that one. For the first time, we deserved to lose a football game.
"But it wasn't all negative. We played a final against a very good Newcastle team and played a very good game in defeat to Paris St-Germain.
"You can always look at the result, which was not the way we wanted in the two games, but I was proud of our performance against Paris Saint-Germain. It was maybe the best game we've played this season, but unfortunately, we lost it on penalties."
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