Liverpool play Leicester City on Boxing Day but this won't actually be the first time Arne Slot and Ruud van Nistelrooy have locked horns
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Cody Gakpo of PSV Eindhoven, Xavi Simons of PSV Eindhoven celebrate
Cody Gakpo celebrates with Xavi Simons as he helps tear Arne Slot's Feyenoord to shreds in September 2022 (Photo by ANP via Getty Images)
(Image: ANP MAURICE VAN STEEN)
Arne Slot only ever looks at what is front of him, and here that is Liverpool's upcoming Premier League clash with Leicester City. Three points on Boxing Day will go a long way towards his team's title charge.
Even if Liverpool's opponent is one in the lower area of the Premier League table, the Reds will do well to remember they have a history of causing upsets. In 2021/22 it was Ademola Lookman who struck around this time of year and they also won at the King Power Stadium the season before that as well.
Adding to that, Slot has his own personal rivalry with ex-Manchester United striker and coach Van Nistelrooy to throw extra spice into this winter warmer of a fixture.
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If he prevails on December 26, Liverpool's head coach will have picked up his first victory against his fellow Dutchman.
Most recently an Eredivisie clash at Rotterdam's De Kuip in February 2023 ended Feyenoord 2-2 PSV Eindhoven, but it was in the reverse fixture earlier that season Van Nistelrooy's PSV edged the win in a 4-3 thriller the Philips Stadion.
September 18, 2022, was the exact date and by half-time the teams were locked together at 2-2. Slot celebrated as Oussama Idrissi gave his team an early away lead, only for Cody Gakpo - four months before he arrived at Liverpool from PSV - to grab his first of three assists and a goal.
It was a near-post corner straight from the training ground that was flicked in by then-Everton loanee Jarrad Branthwaite to equalise, then Gakpo made good of the visitors giving the ball away on the edge of their penalty area to turn things around. Slot's Brazilian striker Danilo would level up before the break.
Either side of an Orkun Kokcu finish, Gakpo teed up his captain Guus Til with an inswinging cross, then later on Armando Obispo for the winner seven minutes from full-time.
"By far the best game we've played," was Van Nistelrooy's assessment at full-time, as he had taken the job six months prior.
Reviewing Gakpo's impact - one that Liverpool would have no doubt had their eyes on at the time - goalscorer Til simply said the winger was "fantastic."
But in the opposite camp, Slot was left to ruminate over this frustrating defeat. Just as he has not been afraid to speak out since becoming head coach at Anfield, he aired his grievances with his team's defending for three of the goals conceded.
On Gakpo's dangerous corners, he commented: "Why did it go the wrong way today? I think two moments were decisive and they both came from a goal against from a standard situation, precisely at moments when we seemed to have the upper hand.
"But I do not agree with the suggestion that we are vulnerable in set pieces. That was the case today and indeed in the preparation as well. But the preparation should not be a guideline. Although it does not change the fact that today it was too easy and two goals from corners is too much in a top match."
Also Gakpo's sole strike, made possible by Javairo Dilrosun giving possession away in his own half. "In that phase, we did not recognise well enough how we could play under their pressure. Javairo should not be played there. You should not play stupid balls to covered players," said the then-Feyenoord coach.
Luckily for Slot Gakpo is now not a weapon of Van Nistelrooy's, but his own. Under Dutch tutelage the attacker has netted nine goals and providing three assists in all competitions this term.
Meanwhile for December 26's meeting, the Leicester manager seems to be without danger man Jamie Vardy and therefore reliant on Patson Daka to come up with the goods.