Slot accepts pressure of being Liverpool manager not being top ahead of West Ham trip
Shot 26/12/2024 embargoed until 27/12/2024
Anfield, Liverpool, UK
Shot 26/12/2024 embargoed until 27/12/2024
Anfield, Liverpool, UK
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SportsTranscript
00:00I know it's probably something similar to what we spoke about after the Leicester game,
00:04but a seven-point lead at the top, do you feel that brings a little bit more pressure
00:09and the expectations change at this stage of the season?
00:12We're almost at the halfway stage.
00:14No, you're sitting in front of the Liverpool manager,
00:17so there's always pressure at this club.
00:20If we are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 in the table,
00:22if you work at a big club like Liverpool there's always the pressure,
00:25I think last season, halfway through the season, were they also number one?
00:30I think they were last season.
00:32Yeah, so it's not so strange for a club like us to be on top of the league,
00:38but we know how many good teams there are in this league,
00:41and they are able to win almost every game as well.
00:48So there's no extra pressure, there's always pressure if you work at a club like Liverpool.
00:54Your form away from home is fantastic, West Ham on Sunday,
00:58how do you prepare any differently, is it just, here we go again?
01:04No, I think our away form has been good,
01:08but maybe it has a bit to do with the teams you face in the first half of the season.
01:12I think mainly we faced the teams at the top half of the table at home,
01:20and the other ones we faced away, so that might have something to do with it.
01:26But we are a strong team away from home and at home as well,
01:33so I don't see any reason why we are stronger there than here,
01:38something we can best judge at the end of the season,
01:43if we played every team home and away, to see what fits us best.
01:49But I think we are a difficult team to beat away from home, as in our home games.
01:55You'll be aware that Dominic Sopperslai is suspended
01:58after picking up a yellow card against Leicester,
02:01but this is a period where you probably have to use and utilise the squad more anyway,
02:06given the amount of matches?
02:09Yeah, that's what you saw today as well,
02:11because I think Dominic Sopperslai was outstanding against Tottenham Hotspur,
02:16and the idea and the plan was that he should be outstanding against West Ham,
02:22but he's not available, so someone else should be outstanding against West Ham.
02:29Tomorrow is seven years since Virgil signed for Klopp,
02:32I know you've not been there for much of that time,
02:34but as a fellow Dutchman I just wondered,
02:37how far off his best level do you think he is now,
02:40or is this the best level you've seen him in?
02:43Yeah, that is difficult for me to judge,
02:45because, like you said, I wasn't here when Virgil was close to winning the Ballon d'Or,
02:51and he's been a tremendous player, such a great player for Liverpool for so many years.
02:57Unfortunately for him he was out with an injury for almost the whole of the season,
03:01that didn't help this football club at all,
03:03so that probably tells you how big of an impact he has had here at this club.
03:08I can only tell you what my experiences are with him,
03:11and he's been not only for what you see, because you see him during the game,
03:15and he's outstanding during the game,
03:17but he has such a big impact in training sessions as well.
03:20He's the focal leader of this team, every time we start an exercise
03:24he's on top of his team-mates and he leads by example.
03:28So for me he's been outstanding until now,
03:32and we can only hope he can continue showing this during the games
03:36and in the training sessions as long as he's with us.
03:41Jürgen, I just asked this question because it's obviously your last home appearance
03:46before the 1st of January, but with the Contract 3,
03:49things that can happen from that date,
03:52are you expecting anything momentous or significant to change from then or on that date?
03:58If we would, then probably it's not the moment for me to tell you now,
04:02but in general I don't talk about contract situations here,
04:06and it would be a surprise if I was the one to announce
04:10that one of them has extended, so I think that's in a different moment.
04:14But just keep asking because that's your job,
04:17but you're probably not going to get an answer from me.
04:21But it's clear that from the 1st of January,
04:25maybe for you guys things change a lot,
04:27but they are in constant talks with the club,
04:30and let's wait and see what happens.
04:32As long as they keep performing like this,
04:36the manager or the head coach, I have to say, is happy with them.
04:40Jürgen, you mentioned injuries and suspensions,
04:42it looks like West Ham might be without all three central midfielders
04:45as they start to get some,
04:47Rodriguez is so jet-suspended, Carlos Soler went up injured.
04:51You faced Mohamed Kourousselam when he was at Ajax,
04:54did you think he had a chance when he made it up the central midfield?
04:57And how good a player did he think he was?
05:00I think he's a good player, that's for sure, everybody sees this.
05:04He can play multiple positions, I think he played here for Ajax,
05:08against Liverpool as a 9 as well, so he's a big threat for them.
05:12They have many players, I think they signed many players during the summer,
05:16so even if three midfielders are out,
05:18I don't think they have to play under 21 players,
05:20they are still able to play players they brought in for many, many millions.
05:25So, yeah, that's the Premier League,
05:27they all have, not only us or Chelsea,
05:31a lot of clubs have so many good players.
05:34We, although we were the ones when I didn't play my starters,
05:38we used our 21 players, that is part of our identity,
05:41and that's what makes this club special, I think.
05:44Last couple, we have one more.
05:46Just on Jordan Johnson, he's made four substitute appearances since he came back from injury,
05:50is he ready to start again, or is he still managing his fitness?
05:57I think the last thing, for sure, we're still managing his fitness.
06:00He's been out for quite a long time and he couldn't train that much,
06:03so sometimes if a player has an injury he can do a lot,
06:06but he couldn't do a lot for quite a long time.
06:10And, yeah, since this league is so intense,
06:14it's not so easy if you're almost two months out to come in and play from the start again,
06:19you need to have some minutes to build this up.
06:22And he is in competition with some other special players as well,
06:26who are at this moment also on top of their game,
06:29and he's gradually building it up.
06:33And I think he comes close to starting again,
06:37but, like I said, he has competition in his position as well.
06:40Last one, Paul.
06:42Do you think Canarty or Radley will be back for Manchester United?
06:47They will not be back for West Ham United, but then there's a week in between,
06:52so let's see how close they are then.
06:56But it's difficult for me to tell you at this point because they don't train with the group yet,
07:01but hopefully in the upcoming days they come closer to that situation.
07:05And then again, Ibu has been out for five or six weeks maybe,
07:08Conor even longer, I don't know, just as long I think, same amount.
07:13And also for them, they are in competition with players that are completely fit
07:18and are doing really well, so I have to make the right judgement
07:22the moment they are back with the team.