In the concluded third round of the Carabao Cup, Liverpool beat Southampton 2-1. Liverpool manager Arne Slot attended the post-match press conference following the team's 2-1 victory.
On Ékitik's Second Yellow Card and Sending-Off
"No, I’d rather start with something positive first. Even though this isn’t strictly positive, I think our tribute to Matt Beard reflects the class and dignity of Liverpool Football Club.
The fans are always like this, and it makes me proud to represent this club—we always find ways to honor those who have made tremendous contributions to it.
Now, addressing your question, let’s jump straight to the final minutes of the game, where Hugo received a second yellow card.
What word did I use to describe it? Yes, ‘unnecessary.’ And ‘stupid.’ That’s right. The first yellow card was already unnecessary and, to some degree, stupid because you have to control your emotions.
I know how tough it is to play in the Premier League or any league worldwide. If you’re a No. 9, defenders can almost do whatever they want. Then if they tug your shirt a bit or push you, you get a free kick.
But controlling emotions is always best. If you can’t rein them in, then avoid picking up a yellow card. I remember when I got a red card against Everton last season, I said it was always stupid—you can show emotion, but if it leads to a yellow or red card, that’s foolish. The first yellow card was exactly that.
I also told him, and I’ve told many media outlets, that if you’re in the 87th minute of a Champions League final, dribble past three players, and fire the ball into the top corner, I might understand you thinking, ‘I did this alone—look what I’ve achieved?’
But I’m old-fashioned. I’m 47, maybe getting too old. I never played at that level, but I did score a few goals.
If I’d scored a goal like that in that situation, I’d turn to Federico Chiesa and say, ‘This goal was all you—nothing to do with me.’ So yes, it’s unwise. You say it’s stupid, and by the way, I think so too."
On Chiesa's Overall Performance
"I think this is what you want to see. I can fully accept that a team playing together for the first time, with players who haven’t featured much recently, won’t have perfect cohesion.
But what I always want to see is players fighting hard. So at halftime, I said it was no coincidence that Federico received the ball and assisted the first goal—because in my view, he was the most involved, committed, and hard-working player on the pitch.
By the way, it’s also no coincidence that he was once again the perfect target for Andy Robertson’s long pass—Robertson has won countless honors at the club and knows the game inside out: never underestimate matches, always be ready.
That’s also how you fight your way back into the starting lineup or earn more playing time. That’s why I’m pleased with some players’ individual displays but far from satisfied with others’."
On Which Players He Was Dissatisfied With
“No. But I think the players I’m referring to already know.”
On Isak's First Goal for Liverpool
"Yes, that’s great because his debut was only six or seven days ago. I asked him, ‘Was it when we played Burnley two weeks ago?’
He said, ‘No, only a week ago.’ So time flies—sometimes you lose track of how much has passed. But in terms of match fitness, he wasn’t at his best when we signed him, so we have to get him up to speed.
The downside is you can’t expect a player to play 90 minutes right away. If you only give him 45 minutes, 30 minutes, or just 45 minutes like today, he usually needs time to score his first goal—after all, playing the full game is always easier to find the net than playing a short spell.
He’s the British transfer record—hardly anyone talks about that, so maybe it’s wise for me to bring it up! So if he needs time to score, he’ll face pressure because he’s the British transfer record—no one says that, so I’ll say it again!
I think now is the time to see his current form and how much he can help us—you’ve already seen he can contribute—but the best will come when he returns from the Swedish national team. Hopefully, he stays fit, plays plenty there, and can build up gradually in the next few weeks.
Then, I think after that, his pre-season (in terms of match fitness) will be done, and we can have higher expectations for him. But so far, I’m very satisfied with his performance."
