Arne Slot celebrates. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)Arne Slot celebrates. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Arne Slot celebrates. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Liverpool have been crowned champions of the Premier League ahead of their trip to Chelsea.
Liverpool still have the chance to reach 94 points, though, and travel to Chelsea on Sunday. Slot has insisted that the Reds are heading to Stamford Bridge aiming to deliver a victory. But the Reds head coach hinted he will make tweaks to his starting line-up as fringe players such as Federico Chiesa, Harvey Elliott and Wataru Endo could get opportunities.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Slot said: “It’s nice we play some very strong teams with Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton and [Crystal] Palace. That immediately gives the challenge. It’s the end of the season but we also have to look at this as the start of next season already.
“It’s Chelsea away first. We played them earlier on and I’m completely surprised if we look at the gap we have with them because at that moment, they were the better team, but we found a way to win. In that game, we had to suffer more than any other game, maybe. To be so many points ahead is a big compliment to everyone at this club.
“We’re going into these four games trying to win them all. That’s what we always want, what everyone in a Liverpool shirt should want. My line-ups will be different to the ones during the past 10 months. We’re not going to change everyone but there will be a certain rotation.”
Asked if some of those who have not had as many minutes as they’d have liked will have a point to prove, Slot replied: “They don’t have anything to prove. I see them every day in training and saw them playing this season. Players don’t have to prove quality players, they are but want to prove they are good enough to play for us - and I know they are.
“They don’t have a point to prove but I do think they like to play. It’s not the ones who have played all the games will not play. I did this at Plymouth (a 1-0 FA Cup loss) and got quite a lot of criticism. We will mix it up but it’s not going to be four games with the same line-up as we had against Tottenham.”
Elliott is one member of Liverpool’s squad aiming to feature. The attacking midfielder has yet to make a Premier League start this season but has vowed to fight for his place at the Reds ahead of next term despite being linked with an exit.
Slot admitted that he felt Elliott struggled after recovering from a fractured foot earlier this season, but has recaptured the levels he’s capable of. Slot added: “It’s very important that players who are with us want to stay. That’s a big compliment to everyone working here. Harvey is one of the players who hasn’t had as much playing time as he maybe deserved but is in competition with so many good players that I have chosen.
“Also, partly because he was injured for such a long time. I’ve been honest with him; the first part he came back from injury, he wasn’t the same as he was before his injury. But the last few months, he’s back to his old level.
“If you look at the amount of minutes he’s had in the past one or two months and time before, you can see it goes up. It tells you I like him more now than when he came back from injury the first months.”
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