Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has been in contact with Eddie Howe this summer, with the Dutchman reaching out to his Newcastle counterpart after the Magpies' Carabao Cup final win in March
Eddie Howe and Arne Slot.
Eddie Howe and Arne Slot.(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Following the Carabao Cup final loss to Newcastle in March, Arne Slot requested sporting director Richard Hughes provide him with Eddie Howe's contact details.
Liverpool's head coach, gracious in defeat, wished to personally congratulate the Magpies manager on bringing an end to a 70-year wait for domestic silverware following what proved to be a well-earned 2-1 victory at Wembley.
Slot reveals that Howe remains the sole Premier League rival he has contacted in this fashion, and ahead of tonight's trip to St James' Park, his admiration for the Newcastle boss is evident as the Reds manager previews what promises to be a characteristically fierce encounter 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!", reports the Liverpool Echo.
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Monday's fixture, which traditionally generates an electric atmosphere at St James' when serving as the opening home match of a fresh campaign, holds additional intrigue given the situation surrounding the unsettled Alexander Isak, who revealed his private ambitions last Tuesday evening through a bombshell statement posted on social media, in which he discussed broken pledges, eroded confidence and essentially demanded a transfer - to Liverpool. Eddie Howe has been inundated with questions about Alexander Isak since the Swedish international chose not to accompany his team on their Far East tour last month, citing a minor injury.
This decision came just days before Liverpool's £110m bid was turned down by Newcastle, with the Merseyside club now believed to be waiting for further encouragement from Tyneside before making an improved offer.
Isak, who netted 23 times in the Premier League last season, hasn't featured in any of the club's pre-season friendlies. After being omitted from the goalless draw against a 10-man Aston Villa side last week, the former Real Sociedad player will also be absent when the Premier League champions visit Tyneside tonight.
Despite his admiration for Howe, Arne Slot doesn't feel much sympathy for his counterpart due to the strength 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, Anthony 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!".
Regarding the expectation of an explosive 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."