Arne Slot spoke about the impact of the schedule on the preparation of Liverpool.
The Reds are unbeaten in their previous four fixtures, and they are looking to return to winning ways in the Premier League with a victory against **Brighton**on the weekend. Without the Carabao Cup in the equation, the December schedule seems more manageable: a situation that satisfies the coach.
“I think it is helpful in the upcoming weeks we don't play as many games as we did until now. I wonder if there have been more teams that have three games in seven days this season. I think we've had to do it three times already this season. What can I say about this?
*“I am almost happy that we're out of the Carabao Cup, because if we had to play with 13 outfield players available with any Premier League experience – we have more available, of course, but not players that have Premier League experience – and we have to go [to] Arsenal away on Tuesday again after already so many games played.*
“Losing a game of football is never a good idea and that is what happened when we were not in the best run of form. But sometimes players need rest as well. It's good that we go now to a run of games where there is one week rest in between.
“Training time helps to get connection going, although playing time helps with this as well. It's also safe to say that some of these players have played so, so, so many minutes that I don't think my performance staff will tell me, 'OK, let's go out in the upcoming two weeks and train twice a day.'
*“I don't think that's what they're going to advise me. So yes, there will be more playing time, so there's more time to prepare for a game, because that is also the difference between us and Brighton.*
“They've had five or six days to come up with a game plan, train this, optimise their game plan, and it's the first time after the Inter game we have a session today. If you play in Europe, it's the last thing you should complain about. This is what we want, but it is the reality for us in the last months.”