Liverpool defender Andy Robertson has revealed how head coach Arne Slot got his players “onboard” in the “first meeting” he had with his squad.
The Reds have surpassed all expectations this season as they were expected to decline following Jurgen Klopp’s exit last summer.
Klopp left Liverpool in a strong position with a squad packed with quality as he did not repeat the mistakes made by Sir Alex Ferguson and Man Utd.
This made Slot‘s job easier, but few expected Liverpool to win the Premier League this season and no one could have foreseen them being 15 points clear at the summit in March.
Slot has made minor changes to turn Liverpool into a winning machine as they have capitalised on Arsenal and Man City’s struggles to move within touching distance of winning another Premier League title.
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Liverpool’s treble hopes are over following their midweek Champions League exit, butthey could do the double as they face Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday afternoon.
Speaking ahead of this match, Robertson has spoken on Liverpool’s success and lifted the lid on Slot’s “first meeting” during their pre-season trip to America.
Robertson claims that Slot’s 19-word message quickly got Liverpool’s squad “onboard” as he “couldn’t afford a settling-in period”.
“When you’re at a club like Liverpool, you can’t afford a settling-in period,” Robertson admitted.
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“It’s a massive club that expects to win trophies – and the manager was very clear on that from his first day.
“I remember his first meeting in America, and he basically said, ‘We finished third last season and the season before, but we now want to finish above the other two.’
“So, in his mind, it was clear that he was coming to win trophies. It wasn’t like he’d be happy with the top four.
“It remains to be seen whether we do win trophies, but he’s put us in a helluva good place to try to achieve that.
“When the manager and the coaches took the job, I think their remit was ‘we want to win trophies, we want Liverpool to be successful and not just by finishing in the top four.’ The players could get onboard with that.”
He added: “At the same time, the manager came into a changing room and saw players that expect and are hungry to win trophies.
“We got off to a good start, and that momentum has carried on, but there’s still nine games to go in the league, and we’ve got a lot of work to do. But as we sit here today, we’re in a really good spot.”