Southampton are the next challenge in front of Liverpool and their push for the Premier League title.
The Reds have taken the English top flight by storm this season and many feel that the race for the title is already over with the Merseyside club sitting 13 points clear of second-placed Arsenal.
That is quite the opposite for Southampton, who have struggled massively since returning to the Premier League this season as the Saints have only picked up nine points from 27 games.
Liverpool face Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final in the two matches after Saturday’s contest with Southampton.
Ahead of the Premier League clash, Arne Slot has been stating that the Reds have “three finals” ahead of them while calling for fans to reproduce the things he has been seeing on social media.
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Liverpool fans are known to be some of the best in football and the atmosphere at Anfield can often be overwhelming for some opposition teams.
PSG will certainly experience this on Wednesday, however, there is a chance Reds supporters will be a little quieter against Southampton given the position of the two sides.
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Slot has suggested that Liverpool are likely to be without Cody Gakpo for their match with the Saints and the Dutch coach is also aware of complacency.
As a result, the former Feyenoord boss has called for Liverpool fans to come into Anfield 30 minutes before kick-off and reproduce what he has been seeing on social media.
“I’m hoping they will not come into the stadium five minutes before the kickoff,” the Liverpool boss said during his press conference on Friday morning.
“I’m hoping the whole stadium is already completely full half an hour before kickoff, and that these players get the reward for what they did in Paris, for working so hard.
“Sometimes when I look at social media, I see these songs coming for Lucho and Virgil and Macca, and they are really creative in these songs. So let’s hear them before the game tomorrow.”
This suggests that Slot is not only aware of the complacency that could creep into the minds of his players against Southampton but also the fans.
There are certainly bigger games on the horizon for Liverpool but the Premier League is not over yet, therefore, the Reds can’t take their eye off of the ball.
Arne Slot explains why Liverpool have ‘three finals’ over the coming week
Many Liverpool fans will view the Southampton game as a chance to rest the likes of Mohamed Salah and Domink Szoboszlai, which suggests that a win over the Saints is already a done deal.
The Reds’ dressing room could not be blamed for thinking this way also, which is why Slot has kept saying that Liverpool have ‘three finals’ ahead of them.
“I know if the final is there, and everybody is already talking to me about how the atmosphere will be on the Champions League night, but I hope, I truly hope that our fans will be at as loudest tomorrow, and not in the final and not against PSG, but tomorrow,” Slot told the media on Friday.
“I hope to convince my players that we play three finals as I said now a few times, and I’m hoping, and that’s why, every time come up with the word final, that I influence our fans a bit as well, that they understand how important they going to be tomorrow.”
The Premier League trophy is the one every fan wants and with Jurgen Klopp stating that he will join Liverpool’s celebrations, that should motivate everyone a little more to get it over the line.