Arne Slot spoke about the challenge he expects from facing Aston Villa on Friday evening.
The Villans have experienced various peaks and troughs this campaign under Unai Emery. They endured a four-game scoreless streak and five match winless streak in the Premier League at the start of the season before firing themselves into the top three with a run that featured just one loss, a 2-0 defeat at Anfield against Liverpool, from the end of September until the end of December.
‘This will always be a difficult game’
The new year has been a bumpier road as injuries in the midfield department contributed to the chasing pack of Manchester United and Liverpool closing the gap. Villa are now level on points with the reigning champions, sitting behind them on goal difference, but a top five place is still in their hands and the possibility of continental silverware with the Europa League shows their level.
The Reds have the joint ninth best tally for points in away games this campaign, level with the 24 of Villa, and it is a weakness that Slot seeks to examine ahead of the final away day in the calendar.
Slot on Villa's squad depth
"They [Villa] played Sunday, I think, so now we play on Friday, so I don't see being tired as a reason.
*"I think one of the reasons why they are in the final of the Europa League and doing so well in the Premier League is because they have a big squad with many, many very good players and a lot of players that are of the same level, the same high level. If you don't have that, you're not able to go all the way to the final in the Europa League and do so well in the Premier League.*
"And the good thing for them is that, at the moment, they have one or two injuries but not so many. I think they are completely ready to go into Friday to go into Wednesday and then go into Sunday.
"That's one of the reasons why we're in the position we are in, and what I mean with that is we wanted to be higher or doing better this season. But we've dropped far too many points in away games.
"And as I said, that's maybe always happening in the end of the season, you constantly feel you are telling everyone the same things. But dropping points in away games has mainly happened after playing in Europe, in games where usually Liverpool is able to win.
"Now Villa away doesn't matter if you play it after a game in Europe or after a week of rest, because this will always be a difficult game.
*"Dropping points in away games mainly happens after European matches and usually in games that we are usually able to win. That has happened far too many times and it is one of the reasons why we have not yet qualified for the Champions League. It is one of the reasons why we are in the position we are in - and we wanted to be doing better. We have dropped far too many points in away games.*
Liverpool's injury record this season
*"I think the number one and the number two this season in terms of playing minutes all around the world, number one is Virgil van Dijk and number two is Dominik Szoboszlai. And in the top 15, top 20, there are five or six players of us.*
"So, that's also why I have so much respect for these players, that they are in a difficult season – physically and mentally – and they have constantly been available, and that's been mainly the same players.
"The first challenge is to be fitter and more ready to play after Europe and I think we have progressed in that. Second of all, we have had many times in away games where we were in a good place after 70, 80 minutes, but dropped points in the last phase of the game.”