"We didn't win the title in the way Man City have for years, leading 4-0 in the first half," Slot said in the pre-match press conference at Anfield. "Liverpool had to fight very hard to be crowned champions. Therefore, we need to improve. Improve compared to ourselves last season, and improve because our opponents have become stronger."

Coach Arne Slot directs Liverpool's 3-2 victory over Newcastle in the second round of the Premier League at St. James' Park, England, 25/8/2025. _Photo: Reuters_

In the 2024-2025 season, Liverpool secured the title four rounds early, finishing 10 points ahead of runners-up Arsenal. However, Slot believes Liverpool had a difficult journey, often winning by a single goal and having to fight until the final whistle. The Dutch coach considers the 6-3 win at Tottenham or the 5-0 victory at West Ham as exceptions.

"When you win the title, people tend to remember only the beautiful attacks and the big wins," he said. "But the truth is we struggled a lot. Romanticizing last season, which sometimes we do even internally, is inaccurate. Last season, almost every game was a battle."

Liverpool spent over 400 million USD to strengthen their squad, including the recruitment of attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz for a total fee of 170 million USD from Leverkusen and forward Hugo Ekitike for 106 million USD. The Anfield club may not stop there, as they are targeting forward Alexander Isak (Newcastle) and center-back Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace).

Liverpool has a good chance of acquiring Isak after Newcastle recruited a replacement striker, Nick Woltemade, from Stuttgart for a total fee of 105 million USD. According to ESPN, on 30/8, Liverpool and Newcastle agreed on a fee of £130 million (175 million USD) for the Swedish forward.

When asked about these rumors, Slot confirmed that Liverpool will always strive to strengthen the squad. "As usual, we always try to bring in players who can help," the 46-year-old coach said. "After the first two games of the season, there's no reason to complain that we need more players. But if we can strengthen, we will, as long as the price and the player are right. There are only four days left, so let's see if anything happens."

Slot also dismissed the notion that today's match between Liverpool and Arsenal could have an early impact on the title race. "You will play better as the season progresses," he said. "I would be surprised if any team breaks the points record and surpasses 100 this season, because the league is increasingly competitive. This means you can still lose a few points and still compete for the title. But of course, it's best not to lose any points."

Hong Duy (_via ESPN, The Guardian_)