Arne Slot says that his Liverpool team was elaborated fourteen days ago in the Carabao Cup Final Cup against Newcastle -and they must now leave it behind when they look at the Premier League title.
The Reds return tomorrow night to action in the Merseyside Derby against Everton after more than two weeks free of club football, a well-deserved rest after a debilitating period that ended in disappointment that they also fell from the Champions League to Paris Saint-Germain.
And lock says that they have to remember the hardships of those competitions and use them to their advantage in the last nine games of the competition season.
“There was a little noise that we lost from Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle,” he said. 'I always try to be rational and try to judge the situation, I don't think it has happened in these situations.
'If you win eight games in Europe and only one loses one and then you are gone, I would be a little more frustrated. However, I was a bit more frustrated about the final of the Carabao Cup, because we first earn it to lose the game. We were not difficult to defend, not good with the ball.
'They immediately went to the national teams and they all played important games. For most of them they have not forgotten because they know what happened and they are as disappointed because they do not win the first trophy and are out of the Champions League.
“But they are also realistic. When you play nine games in Europe and win eight and had bad luck on penalties. We have tried everything to continue and I can't blame any player. We were also overworked for the final and that is not what I like. '
Slot added that the break will have done his team the world of good. He said: 'This (international break) I liked the most, I also needed the most. But there is no difference between then and now.
'If you want to achieve something in the Premier League, in the League Cup, in the FA Cup, you have to compete with the best teams in the world, so there is no room to do an acceleration, you always have to be on top of your game.
“You have to be there in September, in October, in March and certainly in April and May.”
Liverpool will 'have to be there', as Slot says, for the heavy test in Anfield tomorrow night against Everton by David Moyes, who are undefeated in nine league matches.
The Reds are 12 points clearly dealing with nine games and need a maximum of 16 points to win the title – although that could change based on Arsenal's match against Fulham tonight.
Slot will be Alexander-Arnold without Trent who is still recovering from an ankle injury. Ryan Gravenberch and Alisson should be in order after they have withdrawn from their international camps early, while Conor Bradley remains a doubt.
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