ReactionArne Slot press conference: Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool
United initially opened up a two-goal half-time lead at Old Trafford on Sunday, via Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.
The Reds responded to quickly level after the break through goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo.
But Kobbie Mainoo put United in front again 13 minutes from the end and the home side held the victory.
Slot answered questions from the media in a post-match press conference – read the head coach’s reaction below…
On what he said to the team at half-time...
That it wasn’t necessary to be 2-0 down and it wasn’t necessary to lose this game today. Although, United deserved to be 2-0 up – let that be completely clear. We conceded two goals and they had a lot of strengths, let that also be clear, but two of them are set-pieces and the counter-attack and we fell into that trap with both goals. The first one we concede [from] a set-piece and the second one we played through the middle where their players are sharp in the duels and a quick counter-attack led to the 2-0.
I did see us in the first half coming into good positions but that did not lead to anything. Well, a few shots but nothing serious, and I said if we can combine coming into these positions with a bit more intent in arriving in the box – that’s why I changed and put Cody in a No.9 position – then we are able to do more than only having ball possession, and that’s what happened in the second half. Also, of course, because we immediately found the goal because they misplaced the pass. Great finish by Dominik, but they misplace the pass. Then you have your momentum on your side and that is what we had in the second half, I think.
On why he felt the team started in the way they did, conceding twice...
We lost a lot, that is true. You know when you come here they want to start strong and aggressive and we were aware of that. When did we concede the first goal? Six minutes? So, indeed, in this first six minutes I saw us not picking up the second balls, although we had a few moments where we pressed them high. But if you concede after six minutes in this stadium then you always know you’re going to face a struggle period afterwards.
I think after us conceding the goal we controlled ball possession, controlled the game by ball possession, but then I think it was one of the first times after we lost the ball and they counter-attacked us to 2-0. Then, of course, everything you’ve done before deserves a lot of criticism, but I don’t think there were that many differences between the first and the second half. The only difference there was that we were better able to control their counter-attacks and creating more from the ball possession we had.
On United’s second goal and if it was handball...
Yeah, if it was a touch, which I think it is, because if you know a bit about a ball sport, you know that if a ball has a certain curve and the curve changes, there must have been contact – but it’s always light. Then we should have a debate in football, is that then enough to disallow a goal? But I think the rule is if there was a touch it should have been disallowed. But I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone this season that if there is a VAR intervention, or if there is something that you could look at or could be left, could be right, then that decision goes against us. That has been the whole season. Every single time [it’s] the same. If I remember Paris Saint-Germain at home, getting a penalty for a soft touch on [Alexis] Mac Allister but of course the VAR interferes and says no, no, this is not a penalty.
One week later when I see Paris Saint-Germain playing against Bayern Munich, that same soft touch, the penalty stays. I saw last week my goalkeeper on the floor with an injury and the referee doesn’t stop the game. I see a player of United off the pitch today and the ref stops the game when we try to play on. That has been our whole season. But the second goal we did not concede because of the handball, we conceded it because we lost the ball in a stupid position and we lost a few big moments afterwards in duels. We have to first look at ourselves, let that be completely clear and obvious. But decisions have gone every single game against us, that’s also completely clear and obvious because when we played United in the first game of the season I had one of my players with five stitches on the floor and the referee didn’t stop the game and we conceded.
This is a complete pattern over the whole season, but there’s also a pattern that we concede ridiculous goals when we are the better team and one or two [are] switching off and then we concede a goal. That we have more influence on, so I should focus much more on that than on these referee decisions that go against us. But it’s clear that the whole season is the same.
On whether Alexander Isak will miss the rest of the season, and his other absent players...
No, he isn’t. We’re expecting him to be back very soon. But you saw the second half, so there’s no excuse. I haven’t spoken about missing players [and] I’m not talking about it now. If you can play a second half as we did, there’s no necessity to have other players here. We were able, with this team, to have a chance of winning this game and we were quite close. But, as always, one moment of switching off immediately leads to us conceding a goal... so many times this season it was waiting for us to score one and then we conceded because we switched off for one or two seconds in a crucial moment.
On whether he is ‘concerned’ Liverpool haven’t secured Champions League qualification yet...
I wouldn’t say concerned is the right word, but I’m completely aware of the fact that we need three points. That’s why I was so annoyed that we didn’t pick them up today. Although we didn’t deserve to get these points in the first half, that’s completely clear. But if you are 2-2 coming back after [being] 2-0 down, then you should at least go away here with a result, which we didn’t do. We knew before the game we had four chances to pick up three points to qualify for the Champions League. Now there are three chances left.