Arne Slot firmly believes that Liverpool’s participation in the League Cup has contributed positively to their overall success this season, rather than being a distraction.

Liverpool secured their place in the final at Wembley next month against Newcastle United after convincingly defeating Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 on aggregate. The Reds delivered a stellar performance at Anfield, with Cody Gakpo leveling the aggregate score late in the first half before Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Virgil van Dijk sealed an emphatic victory.

Following the match, Slot addressed whether Liverpool’s League Cup campaign, which began in September, had been challenging to balance alongside their ambitions in the Premier League and Champions League. However, the Dutchman highlighted the competition’s role in maintaining squad depth and match sharpness.

“There’s no doubt that this tournament has been beneficial for us,” Slot said when discussing the importance of the League Cup. “It has provided valuable game time for players who haven’t featured as frequently in the league. Whenever we have needed them, they’ve been ready to step up.

“When you come to England, you quickly understand the history of both the FA Cup and the League Cup. While the FA Cup is generally regarded as more prestigious, every trophy matters. Since we lifted the League Cup last season, it’s only right that we embrace the challenge of defending it.”

Reflecting on Liverpool’s performance, Slot added: “I’m very pleased with what we showed today. But if you know me, you’ll know my focus is already on Sunday rather than thinking too much about the final just yet. Still, reaching a final should always be special, even for a club like Liverpool, where success is expected.

“Our players work tirelessly every day to improve, and this is why we compete for trophies. We know how tough the final against Newcastle will be, as they were extremely impressive in their last match. However, we have several important games before that, and our immediate focus has to remain on them.”

Liverpool have already secured their place in the Champions League knockout stages, prompting manager Arne Slot to rest several senior players for their upcoming clash against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday night.

Slot Defends Squad Rotation Ahead of PSV Clash

Arne Slot has dismissed the notion that his second-string squad must prove themselves in their Champions League outing against PSV Eindhoven. With Liverpool already assured of a top-two finish in their group, the manager opted to leave 12 key players behind as a youthful 21-man squad traveled to the Netherlands for their final group-stage match.

Liverpool’s place in the round of 16 is confirmed, and a draw against PSV would secure the top spot ahead of Barcelona. Consequently, first-team regulars such as Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Luis Diaz, and Mohamed Salah have all been given a rest. Joe Gomez, who recently returned to training following a month-long absence, was not considered, while Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones remain unavailable due to injury.

Opportunity for Young Players to Shine

With several stars missing, the likes of Caoimhin Kelleher, Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah, Tyler Morton, Wataru Endo, and Harvey Elliott are expected to feature. Additionally, forward Federico Chiesa is set to make his first start since September. However, Slot insists that the match is not a test for the younger players but rather a strategic move to manage the workload of his regular starters.

“The players don’t need to prove themselves,” said Slot. “We are aware of their abilities, but we have an incredibly busy schedule, and those who stayed behind could have played. However, we must think long-term. Throughout the season, we’ve ensured that key players get a break every few weeks, especially during League Cup or FA Cup games, to maintain their freshness.”

Slot on Champions League Format and Liverpool’s Approach

Slot also weighed in on the revamped Champions League format, emphasizing that Liverpool’s final group-stage position has little bearing on their knockout stage fate. While PSV still needs to secure their play-off spot, Liverpool’s standing in the competition remains unaffected.

“I took some time to understand this new Champions League format, but I’m now completely sure that finishing first or second doesn’t really matter,” Slot explained. “We’re guaranteed to face one of the teams ranked 15th to 18th in the round of 16, and from there, it all depends on the draw. We can’t drop to third place, so the league standings won’t change. That said, we will be going out to win because, as a wise man once told me, nothing good ever comes from losing a game.”

Liverpool manager Arne Slot chose not to dwell on the referee’s decision to issue only a yellow card to Ipswich Town’s Julio Enciso for a dangerous tackle on Wataru Endo during the Reds’ commanding 4-1 win at Anfield.

Cody Gakpo struck twice, adding to goals from Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai, as Liverpool secured another dominant performance. However, their clean sheet was spoiled by Jacob Greaves, who scored a late header for Ipswich.

The match’s most contentious moment came in the second half when substitute Enciso launched into a reckless challenge on Endo, the Japan international. Despite the severity of the tackle, referee Michael Salisbury opted for a yellow card rather than a red, a decision that left many questioning its fairness.

Speaking after the game, Slot admitted he hadn’t reviewed the incident but refrained from criticizing the referee. Instead, he focused on Endo’s incredible toughness and ability to carry on without complaint.

“When it happened, I thought: ‘That doesn’t look good,’” Slot said. “The way the players reacted around him showed me it might be serious, but I waited to see how Wata responded. During the game, he shook it off, nodded a couple of times, and kept going. His mentality is unbelievable, and he was fine.”

Slot continued, “It was only a yellow card, so I assume my initial fear wasn’t realistic. Referees are instructed to make the right call, regardless of the game situation, so I trust it was the correct decision. I haven’t reviewed it yet, but I’ll assume the official got it right.”

Reflecting on the overall performance, Slot praised his team’s strong start, which set the tone for the match.

“Scoring early made all the difference,” he said. “In past home games, we’ve sometimes conceded early, but today we were aggressive and dominant right from the beginning. For most of the game, Ipswich barely got into our half.”

Slot also commended Liverpool’s ability to control Ipswich’s counterattacking threats. “With their wingers and Delap up front, they can be dangerous on the break, but we managed to neutralize that through our hard work. It was nearly a perfect performance for 85 minutes,” he said.

However, Slot acknowledged disappointment at conceding a goal from a corner, their first of the season. “It’s frustrating to lose the clean sheet like that, but overall, the way we handled a team sitting in a deep block for most of the game was excellent,” he concluded.