Arne Slot previews Monday's trip to Newcastle as a potentially explosive evening awaits on Tyneside
Eddie Howe and Arne Slot.
Eddie Howe and Arne Slot.(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
After the Carabao Cup final defeat to Newcastle in March, Arne Slot asked sporting director Richard Hughes for the number of Eddie Howe. Liverpool's head coach, magnanimous in defeat, wanted to personally congratulate the Magpies boss on ending a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy after what was a deserved 2-1 triumph at Wembley.
Slot insists that Howe is the only one of his Premier League counterparts that he has reached out to in such a manner and speaking before Monday's visit to St James' Park, the respect for the Magpies boss shines through as the Reds boss previews what is expected to be a typically intense affair in the North East.
"I don't think it's good for me to say what he texted me or I texted him but I think if you heard what I said in the media and what I like about him is what he says in the media, he always tells me and vice versa, so I think they fully deserved to win the League Cup final," Slot says. "I didn't text him anything different from that!"
Monday's game, which is always a raucous occasion at St James' when it is the first home fixture of a new term, carries added spice due to the intentions of the wantaway Alexander Isak, who made public his private desire on Tuesday night with an explosive statement, made via social media, where he spoke of broken promises, lost trust and effectively demanded to be sold - to Liverpool.
Howe has been faced with an avalanche of Iask-related questions since the Sweden international opted not to fly with his team-mates on their tour of the Far East last month by citing a minor injury. That came just days before Liverpool had a £110m bid rejected by Newcastle, with the Reds now understood to be awaiting further encouragement from Tyneside before returning with an improved offer.
Isak, who scored 23 Premier League goals last season, hasn't played a part in any of the club's pre-season friendlies and after being left out of the goalless draw with 10-man Aston Villa last week, the former Real Sociedad man will also be nowhere near the action when the Premier League champions pitch up on Tyneside tonight.
Slot, for all his admiration for Howe, however, does not feel too much sympathy for his opposite number due to the quality of the Newcastle squad.
"In general I have sympathy for Eddie Howe because I think he is a great human being, he is always polite and that is my general feeling about him," Slot says. "It is maybe no coincidence I texted him because he is a very honest and polite colleague. For the rest, I don't need to have sympathy for a manager that can still play Harvey Barnes, Anrthony Gordon, Anthony Elanga, Jacob Murphy.
"So you don't need to have sympathy for a manager that has so many good players in his squad but in general, I think I like him and I don't think it will be a surprise to anyone if he eventually leads the national team of England as well. He is a very good manager.
"To a certain extent [I have sympathy] because I like him as a manager and a person and there is a connection between my sporting director and him as well. But it is not that we are friends and we are going to go on holiday together or whatever but he is a good manager, he is always very respectful to other managers as well. If I look at him, he is always calm, standing there.
"But you guys (the media) are asking me this because of Isak, of course. I added to that that we have exchanged messages but he is the only one in the Premier League until now. But I do speak to managers afterwards but maybe there is a reason for that [phone message] because my sporting director has his number!"
On the expectation of a powder keg atmosphere on the night itself, Slot adds: "If that is even possible because it was very intense the last time we played there as well. And it always is when they play at home, let alone an evening game, it is always so, so, so intense.
"So I am not sure if this is an extra reason for them. I am not even sure if that is what the players and the manager are thinking as well. Social media and people write a lot but is this truly what the players and the manager is thinking? I don't know, I have no clue.
"What I do know is we're going to face a very, very good team and that is even more difficult than playing in that stadium, with their fans. So if we have to play against them with our fans then it is still a very difficult game.
"But that is why away games in general are more difficult, that is why I prefer to play at home, because we have our fans and that helps when you are a little bit tired or whatever and the fans help you to go again.
"And it will be intense on Monday, that is going to be for sure but it will be intense when Chelsea, Arsenal and Man City go there, when there is maybe not the 'needle' there. It's always intense when it is St James' Park in the evening, for the top four or five sides."