Arne Slot
LiverpoolChris Wilder
Sheffield United
Meeting Highlights…SQUAD STRENGTH
Thursday, Sunday, Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday – these are our next six games. So we need the squad, we need everybody who can come back. We need, yeah, in an ideal world full strength, which is probably not possible because they come back but somebody else will not be available. That’s how it is; the games are too intense, everybody is fighting for everything. It’s really, really a tough period but exciting as well. Looking forward to it. Tomorrow and all the games coming up. They are all difficult for different reasons, because first and foremost they are football games, that’s always difficult. But we are really looking forward to it, I cannot say it differently.
…LUIZ DIAZ'S DEFENSIVE PHASE
Defensively, the difference is always how much your offensive players work back. Otherwise, you defend with seven and the better the opponents are, the more players they involve in their offensive game – and then seven to defend the whole width of the pitch is really tricky. So, you can defend it, it’s just difficult to defend it proactively. To win balls in the right spaces, you need these boys, the three up front, to do all this kind of dirty work as well – and they do it. That’s super-important for us.
…FAVOURITE
It’s obviously nothing we are really aware of. The situation for us is Sheffield United and not who is the favourite. I am pretty sure when we lost at Arsenal we were not favourites after that matchday. Maybe rightly so or not, I don’t know and I don’t care. I think I said in the last press conference, one of the most important things to get through this period is just to ignore the outside mess, because that goes up and down and is emotional and all these kind of things. We have to be professional. We have to be emotional but in the right way. We have to be the best version of ourselves, we have to try to play the best football we can play and then let’s see what the outcome is. There are no guarantees, there are just opportunities. The clearer you see the opportunity, the more likely you can take it. That’s it.
Arne Slot
Manager on Liverpool…SQUAD STRENGTH
Thursday, Sunday, Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday – these are our next six games. So we need the squad, we need everybody who can come back. We need, yeah, in an ideal world full strength, which is probably not possible because they come back but somebody else will not be available. That’s how it is; the games are too intense, everybody is fighting for everything. It’s really, really a tough period but exciting as well. Looking forward to it. Tomorrow and all the games coming up. They are all difficult for different reasons, because first and foremost they are football games, that’s always difficult. But we are really looking forward to it, I cannot say it differently.
…LUIZ DIAZ'S DEFENSIVE PHASE
Defensively, the difference is always how much your offensive players work back. Otherwise, you defend with seven and the better the opponents are, the more players they involve in their offensive game – and then seven to defend the whole width of the pitch is really tricky. So, you can defend it, it’s just difficult to defend it proactively. To win balls in the right spaces, you need these boys, the three up front, to do all this kind of dirty work as well – and they do it. That’s super-important for us.
…FAVOURITE
It’s obviously nothing we are really aware of. The situation for us is Sheffield United and not who is the favourite. I am pretty sure when we lost at Arsenal we were not favourites after that matchday. Maybe rightly so or not, I don’t know and I don’t care. I think I said in the last press conference, one of the most important things to get through this period is just to ignore the outside mess, because that goes up and down and is emotional and all these kind of things. We have to be professional. We have to be emotional but in the right way. We have to be the best version of ourselves, we have to try to play the best football we can play and then let’s see what the outcome is. There are no guarantees, there are just opportunities. The clearer you see the opportunity, the more likely you can take it. That’s it.
Chris Wilder
Manager on Sheffield United...INJURY REPORT
We think highly of George Baldock in personality, characteristics and all round as a player. He got the injury on international duty so it's a difficult one for us to take. Disappointing news for both George and ourselves. Cameron Archer will be back before the end of the season but Tom Davies is in a similar situation to Baldock.
...VAR DECISIONS
For us it kills the game. It is a key moment - 4-1 up and we're in a great position. Our second half performance deserved that. The timing of the goal gave them a huge lift and with the introduction of the players they brought on - I'm stating facts and the obvious, but this is what we're up against.
...HOW TO STOP LIVERPOOL
Good question, big question, not a lot of teams can do it. We just have to be the best that we are and have got to be resolute and defend well. We are going to have to have a big night, a huge night to get a result for us and we need big performances from everyone.