by Liverpool’s head coach, Arne Slot urged players and fans to deal with Southampton’s visit as a final and not be distracted by their Champions League exploits against Paris St Germain.
The leaders could go to 16 points, Arsenal not playing in Manchester United until Sunday, but a match against one of the worst teams of the Premier League is not the type to run the pulses.
After the 1-0 Wednesday victory in the French capital, the attention is, of course, during the second stage of the Champions League next week, which is then followed by the final of the Carabao Cup against Newcastle.
But Slot has published a plea so that everyone can get on board for the visit of the saints, saying: “For me, the one against Southampton is by far the most important.
“I have to convince my players, we play three finals and I hope that I will influence our fans so that they understand how important they will be.
“I hope they will not come in the stadium five minutes before kick-off, I hope that the stadium is already filled with half an hour before, so these players get the award for what they did in Paris.
“I know that the final is there and everyone already tells me about how the atmosphere will be in a Champions League evening, but I really hope that our fans will be their strongest tomorrow.”
Slot did not think of team selections for PSG or Newcastle.
But after having taken into account the physical efforts in Paris, where his team was completely dominated for the best of 70 minutes, he will weigh the mental impact.
“It is difficult to measure, but it is certainly something that you also feel when you are on the touchline and this is something that you are certainly taking into account,” he added.
“They have run as much as the other games, but there is a difference if you have 70% ball possession or if you only have 30%.
“The races you need to do are from a negative point of view if they have the ball all the time and it is not as pleasant as if you have the ball.
“This is why I was satisfied with the goal that Harvey (Elliott) scored because it gives us a good advantage for the second match, but mentally, it helps a lot.”
What to rely on the niche is the motivation of its players, in particular those who have already won the League and the Champions League.
The case of the 30 goals striker Mohamed Salah is an excellent example. After having endured one of his worst nights in the Parc des Princes, he was replaced in the 86th minute by Elliott, who then marked by his first touch 47 seconds later.
“I don’t think Mo was happy to have removed her five minutes from the end, if you are looking at his body language,” said Slot.
“To be clear, this is not the title that Mo is frustrated. I can see that he would have preferred that I did not remove it, but his behavior was completely normal.
“He probably thought that” maybe there was a chance to come and I’m going to mark that one “and to be fair to him, he always does it.
“People now say” Ah, a good substitution because Harvey has marked “but I think that if I asked him (Salah), he would say” if I was there, I would also have marked the same goal “.
“All have shown great character this season and that is also what we need against Southampton because they do not play as a team that is at the bottom of the league.”
