The ECHO previews Liverpool’s trip to Nottingham Forest on Sunday, with Arne Slot afforded a rare luxury heading into the fixture
Arne Slot has been told his time as Liverpool head coach is nearing its conclusion (Image: (Peter Byrne/PA Wire))
Nottingham Forest remain one of the few nuts that Arne Slot has yet to crack as Liverpool boss. In nearly two seasons at Anfield, Forest are one of just three teams – alongside Fulham and Leeds United – who the Dutchman has played more than once without defeating.
Sunday’s latest attempt to beat Forest comes a few months after what surely represents the nadir of his time as a Premier League coach, when the champions were swept aside 3-0 at Anfield to mark what was an eighth defeat in 11 at the time across all competitions.
Another peculiar wrinkle to this weekend’s game is that Slot’s fourth encounter with Sunday’s hosts will see him face off against a third different manager in charge, with Vitor Pereira set to oversee his first league assignment after replacing the recently sacked Sean Dyche.
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Ange Postecoglou’s tenure was so short at the City Ground, in fact, that the Australian never got to manage against his boyhood club.
“Back then [in November] they were in a different management as well, because I think it was Sean Dyche’s third or fourth game,” Slot said on Thursday. “That sometimes makes it a little bit more difficult because we only have tonight to see if this manager changes personnel, changes tactics.
“The good thing is that there is still one game to be played before we play them and we, of course, know him because he worked last season in the Premier League as well.”But usually you would also adapt to the players you have. Although managers have a preferred playing style, you take into account which players you have as well.
“So, let’s see. It was a difficult game for us in the beginning of the season – although, again, I’m going to say the same in that the first half-hour was very, very good from us, [with] chance after chance and then we conceded a set-piece and the game went completely the opposite way. So, we know what we can expect if we play Forest because I’ve played them three times already.”
The Pereira era, however long it may last under combustible and demanding owner Evangelos Marinakis, kicked off in style on Thursday night with a 3-0 Europa League win at Fenerbahce and it points to the overall strength of the modern Premier League that a side playing their first European campaign for 30 years, who are struggling in 17th domestically, were able to dismantle one of the biggest clubs in Turkey in their own backyard.
Attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White spoke of a team regaining their identity under the new boss after the game and ex-Wolves manager Pereira urged his charges to continue in the same vein when Slot’s men visit this weekend.
“[It will be]] a tough game against the previous champions in England,” Pereira said. “But as I say to my players, we need to play with our tools, we need to play with our identity. We need to create identity, it must be what we like and believe.”We have started to work since the first day to create identity. To know what to defend and attack as a team. Football for me, we need to play as a team and with a true spirit. We need to play with organisation, that allows the players to express themselves.”
Perhaps key to the proceedings Trentside will be Liverpool’s relative freshness. The journey to Istanbul marked a 3,250-mile round trip for Forest, while Slot and his players were able to enjoy a couple of days off earlier in the week, having not played since last Saturday’s 3-0 win over Brighton in the FA Cup.
Entering a game as the more rested of the two squads is a rare luxury for a club like Liverpool, who are often competing on two, three or even four fronts at once and given the importance of Champions League qualification, it is an advantage they simply have to take against a side still adjusting to the demands of a new regime.