Liverpool head coach Arne Slot was not too downbeat at not locking down high spot within the Champions League with a match to spare as his precedence was to safe direct passage to the final 16.
The two-1 win over Lille, extending their 100% document to seven matches, seemed like giving them an unassailable lead on the high of the desk to render subsequent week’s journey to PSV Eindhoven educational.
Nevertheless, second-placed Barcelona‘s dramatic 5-4 comeback win over Benfica, scoring twice after the 86th minute, means Slot’s aspect must get a degree in his homeland to ensure high spot.
“I believe 18 factors would have been sufficient to complete high eight however with 21 there isn’t any dialogue,” stated Slot.
“If in tennis you’re the primary seed it’s higher to face the quantity 24 than the 12 however it’s a rating primarily based on years.
“Now we’re in a format when some groups have a fortunate draw and a few have an unfortunate draw. It could be a bonus, it could be a drawback.
“For me an important factor is we now have been in a position to skip a [play-off] spherical.”
Liverpool 2-1 Lille
Mohamed Salah opened the scoring to turn out to be the primary Liverpool participant to attain 50 European objectives.
“Particular, that’s the phrase to explain Mo’s efficiency at this membership, he has been excellent at this membership for thus a few years,” added Slot.
“Right this moment an awesome purpose. When Mo goes on a one-v-one there’s a nice likelihood he’ll rating.
“However this purpose tells you a lot concerning the work price of the gamers who received the ball again earlier than Curtis (Jones) passes to Mo.”
Lille equalised by way of Jonathan David with their solely shot heading in the right direction, which ended Liverpool’s run with out conceding within the competitors at a club-record 9 hours and 59 minutes, earlier than Harvey Elliott struck the winner.
“Very happy,” stated Slot on surpassing the document of Rafael Benitez’s aspect of 2005/06.
“I put every thing right down to to begin with high quality of the gamers and second, these gamers have a top quality work price.
“In case you mix these two issues it is rather troublesome to attain in opposition to the workforce. Aside from that, there are additionally video games, once I look again at Girona for instance, they created various probabilities and Alisson was implausible again then.
“So the good factor for me is we preserve clear sheets not by defending rather a lot, we preserve clear sheets by attacking rather a lot.
“I desire it like this and I believe the followers desire it like this as nicely.”
