Everton taste defeat on Wednesday night in their short trip to play Liverpool and Anfield.
The Merseyside Derby was the start of what is going to be a really difficult April for the Toffees in the Premier League.
David Moyes was not overly disappointed with the showing from his side, although he admitted they needed to do more in attack.
But Arne Slot hailed Everton’s defence which caused his Liverpool side problems yet again following their previous meeting in February.
Everton return to action on the weekend in what is proving to be another controversial topic with their game against Arsenal.
And it is a topic that Slot has now shared his opinion on in the wake of the Merseyside Derby on Wednesday night.
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Arne Slot feels sorry for Everton playing on Saturday
The Premier League have been slammed for scheduling Everton vs Arsenal on Saturday in the early kick-off.
Not only is the game clashing with the Grand National festival later on that day, but it is also not providing Everton with much of a turnaround from the Merseyside Derby.
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Speaking to the media on Thursday morning, Slot has admitted he does not envy Moyes having to pick his side up for their game on Saturday lunchtime.
“I do feel for Everton, they play on a Wednesday night and have the early kick-off on Saturday,” he said from Liverpool’s training facility.
“The good thing is they are playing at home and I know how their fans can influence that situation.”
Moyes was furious with Everton’s Jack Harrison on Wednesday night, so the Leeds United loanee may find himself out of the starting XI on Saturday.
But the 61-year-old is going to have to manage his players’ minutes in what is going to be a busy month.
What Jurgen Klopp said about early Saturday kick-offs
Unlike Slot, Jurgen Klopp probably would not have provided Everton with the empathy of rolling straight into their game on Saturday afternoon.
Klopp shared his Everton frustration after losing his final Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park last season.
The early kick-offs were a big frustration for the former Liverpool manager who did not hold back in his criticism of playing Wednesday-Saturday.
“How can you put a game like this on Saturday at 12.30pm?” he said back in 2023.
“Honestly, the people making these decisions, they cannot feel football, it is just not possible. And it is the moment where the world pays the most to see a football game.”
Slot has been very complimentary of Everton, but this perhaps falls into the category of managers using their common sense.