Liverpool left it late once again, but Mohamed Salah’s 95th-minute penalty gave the reds all three points against burnley and ensured they maintained their perfect start to the Premier League season.The victory not only kept them top of the table but also made them the first side in Premier League history to win their opening four games with decisive goals scored in the final ten minutes of the game or later.
Softfootball understands that Arne Slot took satisfaction from his team’s resilience, but admitted the pattern of leaving it so late is a mixture of relief and concern. The Liverpool boss praised the opponent’s defensive organisation but stressed how challenging it is to break down a side that commits all 11 players to their own box.
Speaking in his post match conference to the press via the team’s official website, head coach Arne Slot admitted to feeling both reassured by his team’s resilience and wary of how difficult it had been to break down the opposition. he said;
A bit of both,” Slot said when asked if the late goal was a concern. I know how hard it is to create chances against a team that’s with 11 players in their 18-yard box… No really open chances, so a draw was probably what we expected throughout the game. But we tried with the substitutions to bring on all the players that can attack, and we did create the penalty. Relief. Lucky.
The Dutchman also explained his first-half decision to substitute Milos Kerkez, who had picked up an early yellow card and looked at risk of a second. He said;
“Not only the yellow card but also that afterwards he played the ball, no foul at all, but the referee blew his whistle.
The reaction of the fans and the players suggested it could have become another yellow, which would have been ridiculous. The only way we could lose this game is if we are down to 10, and I didn’t want to take that risk.
Slot’s cautious but calculated call proved correct, and while Liverpool’s attacking depth eventually forced the breakthrough, the manager admitted the late winner carried as much relief as joy.
For Liverpool, it’s another dramatic but vital step in their quest for back-to-back titles and conquering Europe, with the manager insisting that finding ways to grind out results in difficult circumstances is a strength they’ll need over the course of the season, coupled with the big money attacking signings like Alexander Isak who joined the club in a british record deal and Hugo Ekitike from Eintrancht Frankfurt, Liverpool fans will be hoping they can go all the way in conquering Europe.
