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Every word Arne Slot said on Wolves, Konate, Robertson injury status and topping Premier League

Arne Slot was complimentary of Wolves and keen not to get carried away with results.
-Credit: (Image: Liverpool FC)


Arne Slot was satisfied but not thrilled with Liverpool's performance on Saturday, which saw the Reds secure a hard-earned 2-1 win away to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Ibrahima Konate opened the scoring just before the half but Wolves equalized through defender Rayan Ait-Nouri on 56 minutes, following a rare communication error in Liverpool's back line. Just five minutes later Liverpool took the lead once again after being awarded a penalty, as Diogo Jota was held in the area by Nelson Semedo.

Mohamed Salah became the match-winner from the spot and ensured Liverpool remained unbeaten away from home in the Premier League. Liverpool are now at the top of the table after Manchester City was held 1-1 by Newcastle earlier in the day, and they stay clear of Arsenal despite the Gunners grabbing a late victory over Leicester City at home.

Liverpool has made a tremendous start under Slot with just the one shock defeat to Nottingham Forest. The Reds have won six of their opening seven games in all competitions, and here is everything that Slot said after Saturday's victory...

On Konate claiming "result is more important than the performance"

"For the short term yes, but for the long term you also have to look at the performance. We didn't start well, but we have to give credit to Wolves and to Gary O'Neil, they had a really good game plan, had a week to prepare and they did really well, we had some problems in the first 15-20 minutes, but then we took control of the game, and it wasn't that strange when we scored, because just before the goal we had a big chance with Dominik Szoboszlai as well."

What did Wolves do?

"They overloaded our right side a lot with many players and normally we try to press with Mo Salah a bit more forward, so that's why it was a bit more difficult at the start. But it's not always about tactics. It's also about how aggressive do you press, how strongly you win the duels. Second half we were better when it came to pressing, maybe tactics were a bit better from my side, but it also helped that the energy was much higher than the way we started the first 15 to 20 minutes."

Was patience the key today?

"I just saw the second goal. What stands out for me is the patience we have, because I've spoken about this a few times already that sometimes I feel we have to be more patient against a low-block team. I'm not saying Wolves were that today, but in this moment when I think it was a second-phase corner kick, we were patient, kept circulating the ball and waiting for the right moment to bring the ball in. It was a good goal, but after the first 15 to 20 minutes, in general we were much more patient and we controlled the game much better than in the first 15 minutes and the last 15 minutes."

How happy are you with Gravenberch?

"Not only me, I think all fans as well and him included, he's just very comfortable on the ball, with Macca as well and that helps the team if you want to have a possession style of play. If you want to have the ball and you want to keep it for as long as you can, it always helps if you have two players who are so comfortable on the ball in the holding midfielder position, and the two of them if they can run as well. If you think of the things that Ryan does with the ball, we don't do enough justice to his game. He does a really good job without the ball as well which surprised me, because I know him from the Dutch league, but I think Bayern and Jurgen did a good job making him better without the ball and that's what we are taking the benefits of right now."

Thoughts on Konate saying he should've been Player of the Match?

"Maybe he forgot the moment that we conceded the goal. Maybe that was the reason that he conceded, because he wasn't there at the moment, because to say the least, it was avoidable, let's say it like this."

Do early results help players buy in to new ideas?

"Definitely. Results in pre-season helped and the players started to believe in what you want. But it's not that strange that they believe in what we want, because there are a lot of similarities with what they were used to and where they were really successful under Jurgen. I am the first to understand that the six fixtures we've had could have been much more difficult than the six fixtures Wolves have had, so I think they are 20th in the table but they played much much better than that, and we still have a lot to prove if we're going to come across the top sides in the table. There's a lot to improve but it's good that we have these points and that we are where we are at the moment."

Are you being cautious or can we think of Liverpool as contenders?

"I try to be realistic, and Jurgen's work has been incredible over here. Everybody knows this and everybody underlines this, but two years ago was the last time they played Champions League and I think they ended up fifth. Last season without playing Europe, the players that played at the weekend had some rest. Now we have to prove, similar season like two years ago, that we can do it in the PL and the CL and that's something in my opinion we have to prove with almost the same players as two years ago which was not the result that Liverpool's supporters would love to see."

Was the result justified today?

"I don't think it's for us to judge. I think the first 15 minutes were difficult and they had a week to prepare. If you have a manager like Gary O'Neil who is tactically really strong and comes up with really good game plans, that's what he did. We were ready for this. He overloaded our right side in a good manner and made it difficult for us to control the game. When the energy went away a bit we took more and more control. It wasn't a surprise the moment we scored a goal, in those moments we were getting better and better. I was almost surprised we conceded in the second half because we had much more control. But we conceded a goal that was avoidable let's put it that way."

Did you expect to be top of the Premier League so early on?

"It's almost ideal that we played Wolves today because we are top, they are last. They absolutely don't deserve to be last because they've had a very difficult fixture list and I've seen many of their games. They deserved more. You could argue that today as it wasn't like we were so much better. They were in the game, doing a lot of good things. So if they keep doing this against other good teams they will never end up No. 20. And we still have to prove if we come up against Arsenal, Newcastle, Chelsea, Aston Villa (Wolves fixtures so far). If we can and still be up there with Champions League games included as well."

Is there a boost being top rather than chasing?

"I think everybody is realistic enough, all the players have so much experience that they understand six games into the season doesn't give you a realistic view on the league table. That is more like in 19 games when you can feel 'Okay, where are we?' Of course it helps if you get some good results especially if you bring in a new manager and new staff. Everybody understands if we'd have lost four of five out of these six that life would have been a bit different.

Andy Robertson injury update

"I don't expect this to be a big problem, although you never know, but I think he just got a knock, End phase of the game, maybe he was a bit tired as well because the guy who came in - Forbs, I knew him, of course, from the Dutch competition - he made it a real fight for him. He got a bit of a knock but I'm expecting him to be in training on Monday again, but let's wait [and see]."

How to keep players level-headed if they stay top

"If it stays this way I don't have to keep them level-headed, but to keep it that way is probably what you mean. I don't think it's neccessary for me to convince the players of the challenges we still face. Two years ago was the last time that we played Champions League, and we all know what kind of a season that was. Last season we had a much better season, but every time they got some rest during the week and could play once a week. That's a completely different situation than playing Champions League during the week against a very tough opponent and then play Arsenal and then play Aston Villa and all these top teams that we're going to face after the next international break. For us there's still a lot to prove.