Liverpool manager Arne Slot said that playing against Real Madrid “brings the best” out of his players after the Reds produced an impressive performance to beat Los Blancos 1-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s first trip to Anfield since leaving the club he joined as a boy dominated the pre-match conversation, but it was Alexis Mac Allister who ultimately grabbed the headlines, heading home the only goal of the game on the hour-mark from Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick.
The scoreline perhaps flattered the visitors from Spain, who had goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to thank after the Belgian made a string of great saves in both halves to prevent an even greater scoreline.
The victory was an important one for Arne Slot and his players. It was their first time they had claimed back-to-back wins since September and ensured they move into the top six of the Champions League table.
About the result, Slot said: “[I am] very pleased. It’s been a tricky few weeks for us. Lot’s of away games, hardly any rest between games.
“But it helps when you can play in front of these fans and against [Real] Madrid because that brings the best I think out of my players.
“[It was a] great performance against a team that has lost once this season. It could have been a bit more maybe but he [Courtois] made a few saves close to him and he’s one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
“I said before the game, they [Real] have scored 26 goals in LaLiga and [Kylian] Mbappe and Vinicius [Jr] together have 24 goals contributions. So if you want to have any chance of winning this game you have to make sure these two are not on the scoresheet. The whole team defended really well.”
Slot admitted that his side had struggled when facing teams that adopt different playing philosophies but he added that his team “have to make sure against any playing style we face we can win the game”.
The Reds boss also reflected on the criticism that came following a run of six defeats in seven matches in all competitions.
“It’s nicer if you win games than if you lose them as a manager,” Slot said.
“Life as a manager if you lose is not the best thing because it just takes all of your time because you want so badly to change it.
“But you also try to be the same person, the same manager as you are when you are winning.
“Everyone has an opinion – sometimes right, sometimes wrong. The only thing I can do is tell them [the players] my opinion hoping it is strong enough for them to believe me.
“We’ve lost too many points in the Premier League. We need to do better and that’s what we’re going to try. A lot of games still to come for us to show that.”
Next up for Liverpool is a trip to the Etihad to face Manchester City on Sunday.
