Newcastle and Everton could be tougher games than City and Madrid, warns Slot | Liverpool

Arne Slot believes Liverpool’s confident form has made them a bigger target for Premier League rivals and that trips to Newcastle and Everton could be more problematic than the emphatic wins over Real Madrid and Manchester City.

Liverpool’s head coach says it wasn’t difficult for his team to showcase their skills when they beat the European champions last week and the English champions at Anfield on Sunday. The challenge now is to repeat those performances at St James’ Park on Wednesday and in Slot’s first Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Saturday. He says Liverpool’s mentality on the road will be as important as their skills.

“Everyone was really looking forward to Real Madrid and Man City and now we have it and that can sometimes make you feel like it was such a great experience that you want to enjoy it for a few more days said the Dutchman. “But we don’t have that time. We have to compete again immediately in what is probably one of the most difficult away games you can have in a season.

“Neither of them are at home. We showed that we are physically very strong at home, but after two wins like this it is sometimes difficult to keep performing in an away game. Newcastle won at home against Arsenal, at home against Chelsea (in the Carabao Cup) and drew against Manchester City. So maybe it’s even more difficult to play against Newcastle away than against City or Real at home. I’m not talking about quality. I’m talking about how difficult it is to win at St James’ Park.”

Slot also believes Liverpool’s comfortable victories against Real and City, which maintained their 100% lead in the Champions League and gave them an 11-point lead over City, will motivate their opponents. “When you beat Real Madrid and City, the teams you play against want to prove how good they are even more against you,” he said. “You always have to be aware of that and then going to a stadium like that will help them, just like playing at Anfield helped us. “The combination of these factors makes the away game at Newcastle so difficult.”

Liverpool’s head coach made a joke at City’s expense when asked for a contract update for Mohamed Salah, saying Sunday’s 2-0 win could be his last game against the struggling champions at Anfield. Slot said: “Perhaps Mo knows more about the 115 allegations (there are 130, all denied by City) and therefore assumes that they will not play in the Premier League next season.” I assume that they will play in the Premier League.

“This is not the place for me to discuss Mo’s contract. Maybe I’ve already said too much about the joke I just made. So this will probably make headlines. But it was a joke, I repeat, it was a joke.”