Liverpool players are too honest for their own good
The Dutchman said he often 'blamed' them for not taking a genuine foul when they had the option but also felt their positive approach was in part responsible for their success last season.
Advertisement
He has key midfielder Ryan Gravenberch missing through suspension for Friday's season-opener at home to Bournemouth, while Slot was misguided in his interpretation of why his reasoning was based on a general viewpoint.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot believes his team are sometimes too honest for their own good. Photo: Martin Rickett/PA.
Slot thought the Netherlands international had been dismissed for a second bookable offence in the final match of last season against Crystal Palace, when in fact he received a straight red for bringing down Daichi Kamada as he prepared to race through on goal.
'If there is one team in the league that is, in my opinion, the most honest when we play – I sometimes blame them that they never try to make from a foul a little bit more – and never dives and never time delays and all these kind of things, then it is us,' said Slot.
'In the (Community Shield) game against Palace they hold Florian (Wirtz) in midfield and he didn't fall over and the referee says 'If you don't fall, I don't give a free-kick', which is a little bit weird.
Advertisement
'Than a fraction later they fell down in a moment which wasn't even a foul and the referee thought 'Oh, he fell down so it probably is a foul'.
'We had much more ball possession than Palace but we made 13 fouls and they made five. That tells you also about who we are.'
Slot said despite the increased challenge that defending their title would pose – and the tactics opponents may employ – he did not want his team to become more streetwise.
'Maybe for me to use the right words in English, you can never be too honest. But I saw this week Fenerbahce-Feyenoord and saw a lot of moments where players were really smart,' he added.
Advertisement
'These kind of things, should we use them? I'm not so sure.
'For me the best game last season I was part of was Paris St Germain against us, especially our home game.
The new season starts here.
2025/26 🔜
pic.twitter.com/VmoxPb8dbu
— Premier League (@premierleague)
June 18, 2025
'I liked that a little bit more than the away game. It was so high intensity because both teams were just here to play and not to try to pretend a foul was more or time delaying.
'I am most proud of the fact of who we are and we won the league last season with the team we were so let us stay who we are.
Advertisement
'We are a very fair team, that is clear also maybe the reason we won the league so why change something which went well.'
Off the field Liverpool have agreed a £26million plus add-ons deal to sign Parma defender Giovanni Leoni to bolster their options in central defence, where they had only two specialists in the position for pre-season after an injury to Joe Gomez from which he had only returned this week.
Sport
Joao Palhinha predicts 'something special' from Sp...
Read More
The 18-year-old is expected to undergo a medical and Slot said: 'The clubs have agreed a deal but he hasn't signed for us yet. The moment when he signs for us I can go into more detail.'
Slot, however, refused to speculate on their pursuit of Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi as talks continue.
Advertisement
'He is not our player and unfortunately he was the captain of the team we lost against last Sunday,' he added. 'If you want any talks on him you should go to Palace and (Oliver) Glasner and ask his opinion about it.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
9 minutes ago
- The Independent
Roma make approach for Manchester United's Jadon Sancho
Roma have made an offer worth in the region of £20million for Manchester United outcast Jadon Sancho, the PA news agency understands. The 25-year-old has failed to live up to expectations since making his hotly anticipated £73m switch from Borussia Dortmund to Old Trafford in 2021. Sancho has made just 83 appearances and scored 12 goals since making the move to United, who are hoping to get him off the books this summer. There have been recent whispers of a move to Serie A and PA understands Roma have made a bid to sign the England international, whose contract runs until next summer with an option for a further year. Sancho last appeared for United in the Community Shield last season, when his penalty was saved in the shoot-out loss to his former club Manchester City. The winger had returned having ended the 2023-24 campaign on loan back at Dortmund after being frozen out for claiming on social media that he had been made a 'scapegoat'. Those comments in September 2023 were in response to then United manager Erik ten Hag saying he had not reached the 'level' required to be involved in their squad at Arsenal. Sancho returned for last year's pre-season at United but went on to join Chelsea on a season-long loan, only for the west London outfit to pay £5m to get out of their deal to make the move permanent for £25m. The Manchester City youth graduate does not have a number at United and is one of a quintet of players that have did not train with Ruben Amorim's side during pre-season as they seek a move elsewhere. Homegrown forward Marcus Rashford was among them and last month sealed a season-long switch to Barcelona with the option to make the move permanent. United want £50m for Chelsea target Alejandro Garnacho, while exits have also yet to be secured for Antony and Tyrell Malacia following loans at Real Betis and PSV respectively.
Daily Mirror
10 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Liverpool swap deal opportunity causes Man Utd a problem as Carlos Baleba price emerges
Manchester United have reportedly identified a new midfield target after being concerned about Brighton's hefty valuation of Carlos Baleba Manchester United's pursuit of Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton could be thrown into disarray by Liverpool's transfer plans. Ruben Amorim's squad are considering midfield targets after bringing in three forwards this summer. New striker Benjamin Sesko is set to lead a revamped United attack, supported by fellow signings Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. After assembling their front three, United have shown interest in Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba. The Seagulls' hefty price tag has reportedly led the club to consider Palace ace Wharton as an alternative. However, United's chances of securing a deal for Wharton could hinge on the futures of Palace's other star players, Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze. The Independent has stated that United have identified Wharton as an alternative to Baleba due to the latter's price tag, said to exceed £100million. However, it is suggested that the Eagles may demand even more for Wharton if they do part with England duo Guehi and Eze. Liverpool are keen on Guehi to strengthen Arne Slot's defensive choices. The 25-year-old is in the final year of his contract and Liverpool are hoping to sign the centre-back for £35m, while Palace are believed to be demanding £40m. The centre back is keen on the move but a deal looked to be off with both clubs some distance apart on his valuation. However, Guehi's situation at Palace has been further muddled by the club's interest in Liverpool's Harvey Elliott, who is valued at the same price. The Sun reports that a swap deal involving Guehi and Elliott hasn't been ruled out, which could damage United's hopes of signing Wharton. There was previously hope that Guehi might remain at Palace this season, potentially making the Eagles more receptive to offers for Wharton. However, the club are not prepared to let the defender walk away for nothing next summer. Following Palace's Community Shield victory last weekend, chairman Steve Parish said: "Players come and go in football clubs, you know, I mean, it's a life cycle isn't it? Hopefully they're still here. That's what I'd like but we'll see." In the meantime, Palace are reportedly eyeing up Elliott as a potential replacement for Eze, who has caught the attention of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. Eze's release clause is set at £68m, but it s claimed to be expiring on Friday. Should Palace part ways with just one of Eze or Guehi, the Eagles might be more inclined to consider bids for Wharton. However, if both Guehi and Eze depart, they'll become even more determined to retain the midfielder and will boast a stronger financial position following potential transfer fees for the duo. The 21-year-old has garnered widespread praise since his switch to Selhurst Park from Blackburn Rovers in February 2024, although injury setbacks hampered his campaign last term, limiting him to just 20 league outings. The defensive midfielder shares the same age as Baleba, who has likewise caught the eye in the Premier League since his move to Brighton from Lille two years ago. His boss, Fabian Hurzeler, dismissed speculation that Baleba was set to depart the club after he sat out Brighton's friendly against Wolfsburg due to a minor knee problem. "He trained today, he trained yesterday," Hurzeler said. "So we don't want to take any risks, but he will be back." United are eager to bolster their midfield ranks ahead of the forthcoming season. Amorim chiefly turned to Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo in central midfield last campaign.
BBC News
10 minutes ago
- BBC News
Vaughan stars as Somerset end Yorks' perfect start
Metro Bank One-Day Cup Group B, Clifton Park, YorkYorkshire 247 (48.4 overs): Revis 85, Hill 41; Ball 4-34Somerset 252-4 (49.1 overs): Vaughan 95, J Rew 53*; Revis 2-30Somerset beat Yorkshire by six wickets Four-wicket seamer Jake Ball and opener Archie Vaughan, with a career-best 95, starred as Somerset ended Yorkshire's 100% start to this season's One-Day joined their hosts on 12 points at the top of the Group B table courtesy of this six-wicket win at York with five balls remaining. Both counties have won three and lost one at the halfway point of the group stage and while Yorkshire still hold sway courtesy of a superior net run-rate, they were second best on a used Clifton Park lost wickets in clusters at either end of a scrambling innings which saw Ball take an excellent 4-34 from 9.4 overs and Matthew Revis top-score with a middle-order List A best of 85 off as many best List A figures in just over six years preceded Sheffield-born teenager Vaughan's classy 127-ball effort with 11 fours. It was ironic this senior best should come against the county for whom his father Michael starred. Yorkshire, inserted, slumped to 28-3 inside 10 injured in-form opener Imam-Ul-Haq (hip), they lost Adam Lyth bowled by a beauty from Ball, Will Luxton run out next ball and James Wharton caught behind one-handed going low to his right by James Rew off Ben misjudged a push to mid-off, where Josh Thomas mis-fielded before recovering to throw the non-striker's stumps who hit nine fours, held things together on the pitch used for Tuesday's win over Lancashire, with Yorkshire compiling nothing more than a workable Bean, on 28, cut 18-year-old debutant seamer James Theedom to backward point with the score on 72 in the 18th reached a 49-ball 50 shortly before Yorkshire reached the halfway mark in their innings at found an ally in fellow all-rounder George Hill. They calmly shared a recovery fifth-wicket partnership of then lost four quick wickets, including Revis and Hill caught pulling, as the score fell from 174-5 in the 36th over to 204-8 in the 42nd. Green's second wicket accounted for Revis, 34-year-old Ball's second was Hill for Lammonby's left-arm seam also claimed two wickets in that Moriarty heaved the only two sixes of Yorkshire's innings in a career-best 30 before holing out to cover as Ball struck twice in the 49th over to wrap things Vaughan, in his first competitive senior career appearance against his birth county, steered Somerset's stress-free was well caught at deep gully by Lyth off Hill en-route to 48-1 after 10 overs before 19-year-old Vaughan shared a second-wicket partnership of 70 with Lewis Goldsworthy (30).Vaughan reached his fifty off 65 balls but Goldsworthy fell at 111-2 in the 25th over when he top-edged a pull at Revis to continued on unflustered, sharing 64 with his captain James Rew. But he was bowled looking to go over the top against Dom Bess's off-spin. Still, at 175-3 in the 38th, Somerset were in a strong Rew finished unbeaten 53 off 62, while brother Thomas also contributed report supplied by ECB Reporters Network, supported by Rothesay
