Slot responds to claims Liverpool have key title advantage over Arsenal & City

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot does not believe a top eight finish in the Champions League will give his side an edge over their rivals in the domestic title race.

The Dutchman said that apart from the boost he got from missing the extra knockout round and going straight to the last 16, he was unsure what other benefits he would get. And he suggested that, after an end-of-season assessment, he would consider increasing rotation during the extended group stage if it emerged there had been no significant advantage.

The Premier League leaders, four points clear with a game remaining, are also currently top of the Champions League table after five straight wins and are on the verge of guaranteeing a place in the top eight, but after that there are rankings to play for. where your final position has an impact on the opponent, you can draw in the last 16.

Title rivals Arsenal are seventh and Manchester City currently occupy seventeenth place, an unplaced spot in the play-offs, while Chelsea are top of the Conference League.

“If we finish in the top eight, I assume that these clubs will also finish in the top eight: Arsenal I think 95 percent certain, City may have to do a little more, but they can win three times in a row, so then they will be in the top eight,” Slot said before the match against European debutants Girona.

“Of course it seems very useful to finish top eight, but if you play all your (first choice) starters every time, as we have done almost every time, then you also need the results because we try to finish as high as possible and also to skip the next round.

“If in the end it means that we always have to play starters and skip the next round and we still have a very difficult draw, then maybe next season we will think differently about what we will do in the group stage.

“You never know if it (missing the play-off round) is an advantage. So far we've played every three days and we haven't done too badly. Maybe we should play some friendlies if we finish in the top eight! But we are doing our utmost to finish in the top eight for the best possible placement, but also to skip that round.”

For the second time in their history, Liverpool were able to win their first six opening games of a European campaign (they managed to win seven in 2021-2022). They have been boosted by the return of goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who missed 11 games due to a hamstring problem.

In his absence, Caoimhin Kelleher kept five clean sheets, including against Real Madrid and Manchester City, but made his first real mistake at Newcastle on Wednesday, with his late assessment allowing the home side to grab a 3-3 draw. Slot confirmed Alisson is fit to start, adding: “I think it speaks for itself. When you can play with Alisson, who has been so excellent for the club and for the Brazilian national team for so many years, then it is certainly nice to have him back.

“But if you look at how his replacement did, it will not be easy to do even better. We expect the same, and maybe a little better in terms of margins, but Caoimh did so well that we can say we have two good goalkeepers.

“But Alisson has been so excellent for this club for so many years and we expect him to do the same in the coming months.”

Striker Diogo Jota, who has been out of action since suffering a chest injury against Chelsea on October 20, was also involved in full training at AXA's training complex before the team's departure but has not traveled to continue his recovery.

Girona's former Southampton and Chelsea midfielder Oriol Romeu admits they will have to do their best to throw the visitors off their pace.

“We have to approach it as a historic and unique match, but we have to work to come up with options,” he told a news conference. Liverpool are an electric, dynamic, vertical and very attacking team. To minimize suffering, we need to make them feel uncomfortable.”

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