Arne Slot insisted Liverpool confirmed why they’re champions this afternoon regardless of a below-par performance in losing 3-1 at Chelsea.
Reds boss Slot made six adjustments to his aspect for the journey to Stamford Bridge, giving a number of fringe gamers the possibility to impress with Liverpool having wrapped up the title following their 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham final weekend.
However they didn’t gel and a Cole Palmer-inspired Chelsea cruised to a throughly deserved three factors.
Slot fairly happy regardless of setback
Regardless of struggling simply their third league defeat of the season, Slot felt there have been moments of promise from his aspect.
He instructed BBC’s Match of the Day: “For a lot of issues I didn’t see a drop off. Right this moment, we might see why now we have gained this league – we introduced the ball out from the again rather well.
“We got here again after being 2-0 down and we didn’t hand over, however I’ve mentioned earlier than margins are small.
“In some moments just a few percentages weren’t there.
“It’ll at all times be a tough recreation to play right here, however for us to play the way in which we did tells me additionally why we gained the league, however it additionally tells me when you’ve got a small drop off within the remaining third you may concede or not rating.
“A sensible man as soon as mentioned to me ‘nothing good comes from dropping a soccer recreation’ and that’s how we expertise it.”
A Jarell Quansah personal objective doubles Chelsea’s lead! 🫣 pic.twitter.com/fLCvzxHs2k
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 4, 2025
Slot backs fringe gamers
Slot mentioned not an excessive amount of could be taken from the performances of his squad gamers, including: “They should play these video games as a result of they’ve skilled so onerous this season. Each time they did so nicely in order that’s why I believe they deserved to play this recreation. We don’t choose them solely on this recreation, we choose them day-after-day on the coaching floor and within the moments that they play for us.”
Slot gained the title regardless of making only one signing final summer time, that of Federico Chiesa who has hardly featured.
And the Dutchman admitted he might look to freshen issues up earlier than Liverpool try and retain their crown subsequent season.
Requested if followers can anticipate an enormous summer time forward, he instructed Sky Sports activities: “It’s already an enormous summer time as a result of we prolonged Virgil [van Dijk] and Mo [Salah] and for big components of the season, I don’t suppose everybody anticipated that.
“For us to maintain them is an enormous factor. I’ve mentioned already that I’m pleased with the squad now we have. We’ll see what the summer time brings however generally it may be good to deliver recent power. [But] Provided that we see somebody available on the market who can enhance us.”
Comfortable Maresca praises spectacular Chelsea
Chelsea’s win moved them on to 63 factors, the identical as Newcastle and only one fewer than third-placed Manchester Metropolis because the race to safe qualification for the Champions League intensified.
Blues boss Enzo Maresca was delighted along with his group’s show.
“I’ve very impressed with my gamers” 😃
Enzo Maresca reacts after Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Liverpool 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/finTdvIa4a
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 4, 2025
He mentioned: “Crucial three factors, particularly at this stage within the season. This group [Liverpool] confirmed why they’re so good. They pressured us to defend deep which we don’t like.
“We deliberate the sport to be aggressive, enjoying the way in which we wish they usually pressured us to make use of a distinct plan. The gamers tailored fairly nicely. For the quantity of probabilities that we created, we deserved to win the sport.”
As for his or her top-five aspirations, he added: “For positive, Chelsea has to struggle for Champions League and hopefully sooner or later we are able to struggle for one thing extra necessary. On this second we’re there and hopefully we are able to end there.”
