Coach Arne Slot commended Liverpool's resilience after their 3-2 Champions League victory against Atletico Madrid on 17/9. "To beat a team as spirited as Atletico, you have to match their intensity. The team displayed fantastic mentality, and today we won using their greatest strength," Slot stated. "Even when the score was level with 10 minutes remaining, our players maintained the pressure to score."
At Anfield, Liverpool took a 2-0 lead within the first six minutes, thanks to goals from Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah. However, a brace from Marco Llorente brought Atletico level. Virgil van Dijk's header in the 92nd minute ultimately sealed the win for Liverpool.
 |
Coach Slot celebrates Liverpool's victory at Anfield, Liverpool, Merseyside, England on 17/9. Photo: Reuters |
Coach Slot celebrates Liverpool's victory at Anfield, Liverpool, Merseyside, England on 17/9. Photo: Reuters
This victory extends Liverpool's winning streak across all competitions this season. Notably, in all five of their victories, the decisive goals have been scored after the 83rd minute. Most recently, Salah's 95th-minute goal secured a 1-0 win against Burnley in the fourth round of the Premier League.
"Liverpool showed their quality, although we should have made things easier for ourselves," Slot added. "At 2-0 up in the first half, we had several clear chances to score a third. Then, at 2-1 in the second half, we hit the post and came close on a few other occasions. A one-goal lead is always precarious, and we were indeed pegged back."
On his 47th birthday, Slot gave Alexander Isak his home debut, starting him in the lineup. The record English transfer played 58 minutes before being replaced by fellow newcomer Hugo Ekitike. Commenting on Isak's performance, the Dutch coach admitted he was surprised by the player's energy levels.
"He was quite energetic for almost 60 minutes, not showing any fatigue after just 10 minutes on the pitch," Slot praised Isak. "His fitness is better than I expected, but fans shouldn't expect too much from him yet. We play three games a week, which is still too much for Isak. I think he can reach his peak after another week or two of training."
Vy Anh
