Arne Slot reveals Newcastle United did something v Liverpool that no one else has done this season
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has made a startling confession ahead of his side’s Merseyside derby against Everton, acknowledging Newcastle United as the only team to have genuinely deserved victory over his Premier League leaders this season.
The Dutch tactician’s unusually frank assessment comes three weeks after the Magpies’ Carabao Cup final triumph at Wembley, a result that continues to resonate through both clubs’ campaigns.
As Liverpool prepare to host their local rivals and Newcastle gear up for Brentford’s visit to St James’ Park, Slot’s reflections on that fateful February afternoon reveal the depth of Newcastle’s achievement.
“I think there was a bit of noise about us losing against Paris Saint-Germain and losing against Newcastle as well,” Slot told reporters at his pre-match press conference. “I always try to be rational and try to judge the situation. I was more frustrated about the final because I think we deserved to lose that one – and that is for the first time I think we deserved to lose a football game.”
This remarkable admission places Newcastle’s 2-1 victory in unique context. While Nottingham Forest claimed three points at Anfield in September and both PSV Eindhoven and Plymouth Argyle recorded cup victories, Slot considers none of those defeats as genuinely merited.
His analysis of the Wembley showdown paints a picture of uncharacteristic Liverpool vulnerability: “We were not tough in terms of defending, we were not good with the ball so there was not many things to like about the final.”
The match’s defining moment came just before halftime when Dan Burn powered home a header from an inventive set-piece routine. Slot’s technical breakdown of the goal revealed both admiration for Newcastle’s execution and frustration with his team’s response.
“Normally a player like Dan Burn runs to the zone because normally, and I think he is an exception because I have never seen in my life, a player from that far away heading a ball with so much force into the far corner,” Slot explained.
His description captured the sheer improbability of Burn’s towering contribution, a moment that encapsulated Eddie Howe’s meticulous preparation meeting perfect execution.
Newcastle’s Wembley success has already secured Europa Conference League football for next season, but their ambitions stretch far higher. With ten Premier League matches remaining, including Wednesday night’s encounter with Brentford, the Magpies sit within striking distance of Champions League qualification.
Their performance against Liverpool demonstrated a tactical maturity and physical intensity that could prove decisive in this final push for Europe’s elite competition.
For Liverpool, the challenge remains maintaining their four-point lead at the summit. Slot’s squad must quickly rediscover their pre-Wembley form starting against Everton, though the manager’s comments suggest Newcastle’s blueprint for unsettling his team won’t soon be forgotten.
As both clubs return to league action separated by just fifteen minutes of kickoff time, their contrasting motivations – Liverpool chasing title glory, Newcastle pursuing Champions League football – will test the resilience of Slot’s assessment that only Howe’s Magpies have truly bettered his team this campaign.
What makes Slot’s concession particularly noteworthy is its timing. Most managers would seek to minimize such defeats ahead of a crucial derby, yet the Dutchman’s analytical approach led him to unexpected honesty.
This rare moment of managerial candor not only elevates Newcastle’s achievement but sets intriguing psychological groundwork should these sides meet again in this season’s FA Cup or next year’s European competitions.
For now, both must focus on their immediate challenges, with Newcastle hoping to prove their Wembley heroics marked a turning point rather than an isolated triumph.