Cliff Notes – Slot calls on Liverpool to improve despite unbeaten start
- Liverpool head coach Arne Slot urges his team to address defensive vulnerabilities, despite an unbeaten start to the season and a top position in the Premier League.
- The team has secured all victories with late goals, raising concerns about their ability to maintain leads, having surrendered a 2-0 advantage on three occasions.
- Ahead of the Merseyside derby against Everton, Slot has a fully fit squad but remains cautious about the fitness of debutant Alexander Isak following his recent performance.
Slot calls on Liverpool to improve despite unbeaten start
Beth LindopSep 19, 2025, 01:04 PM
CloseBased in Liverpool, Beth Lindop is ESPN’s Liverpool correspondent and also covers the WSL and UWCL.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has called on his team to improve despite the fact they are unbeaten and yet to go behind in a game this season.
Slot’s side are currently top of the Premier League table, having won all four of their league games so far, and started their Champions League campaign with a 3-2 victory over Atlético Madrid on Wednesday night.
However, all of their victories this term have been secured with a winner after the 83rd minute and, having surrendered a 2-0 lead on three separate occasions, Slot believes his players still have areas they need to address.
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“We have only played five games, so it is difficult to see a long-term pattern,” he said in a news conference on Friday.
“Against Bournemouth, we were too open, and we missed Ryan [Gravenberch] in midfield and they scored two counter goals. Atlético didn’t score twice on the transition, so you cannot compare.
“It is not ideal if we have a two-goal lead three times and give it away, so we need to improve, as many other things we need to improve. But the positive thing about it is if we feel the urgency again, we are able to score a goal.
“This is definitely something we talk about. You can run out of steam or energy at the end of the season if you mentally and physically have you have to go all the way to the end all the time in games, so it is never a good idea to keep on doing this but if we need it, I still hope we can do it.”
Arne Slot believes there are areas Liverpool still need to address. Michael Regan – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Liverpool will return to Premier League action on Saturday when they host Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield. With midfielder Curtis Jones having now returned to training, Slot has a fully fit squad to choose from, however the Dutchman would not be drawn on whether he will start striker Alexander Isak following his debut against Atlético in midweek.
“What I do know is that Alex did feel his body more than ever before after the 60 minutes he played,” Slot said. “Let’s see how he has recovered today, and then we will think about the lineup.”
Asked whether he will consider playing Isak up front alongside fellow summer signing Hugo Ekitike, the Liverpool boss added: “I consider [playing both together] because you consider many things. It depends on how well they are doing.
“If both in best form of their life, you consider it more but it’s also clear we have a 4-3-3 structure, playing with three midfielders, but it has also happened quite a lot that we end the game with two No.9s. Hugo can also play off the left, different to Cody [Gakpo] and Rio [Ngumoha].
“That’s the good thing about our squad, we have multiple options but first of all they all have to stay fit. If some aren’t fit, we might have to use them both in a 4-4-2. That all depends on form and how many players are available. Maybe everyone is fit now and I can choose between 21 players, that is quite normal. It’s not too much.”