By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot says his team had shown the kind of mentality needed to get results in difficult situation after their 3-2 victory at Newcastle United on Monday.
The 16-year-old forward Rio Ngumoha scored a 100th-minute winner in a breathless match during which Newcastle fought back from 2-0 down with 10 men.
“I liked a lot how we stood strong. Very difficult first half hour, 45 minutes, but we didn’t collapse at all, we stood strong.
“Going down to 10 men, you would expect that that is a big plus for us, but when a goalkeeper takes every free kick, then there’s not so much help if you are one player up, and that’s why it was so difficult for us to bring the 2-0 over the line.”
He added: “I don’t think there was so much open play to be played.
“In a set-piece, a long throw-in, a long ball from the goalkeeper, you don’t need an extra man. It’s always nice to have an extra player on hand, but it’s just not as beneficial as if they want to bring the ball out from the back and we can press them. So, yes, with the ball, the one and only attack that was good in the second half, apart from maybe the 2-0, that was the one that led to the goal, which was a great attack.
“And for the first time, we went from right to the middle to the left, and a great goal for a 16-year-old.
“Maybe it wasn’t the best game in terms of tactics or in terms of playing football, but I think every fan everywhere around the world enjoyed watching this game of football, also because their fans were amazing in terms of the help they gave the home team.”
After winning their first two matches of the new Premier League season, Liverpool head into next Sunday’s showdown with title rivals Arsenal full of confidence, even if Slot will demand more composure and less chaos at Anfield.