Slot admits “creating anger with players during Liverpool’s victory over Southampton

Arne Slot admitted that he had to “create anger” with his players in the middle, as Liverpool left a goal to beat Southampton’s lower side to move 16 points at the top of the Premier League.

The Reds made a second comeback to get a 3-1 victory over the Saints in Fight at Anfield, courtesy of a Mohamed Salah Brace and Darwin Nunez after Will Smallbone had given the visitors a shock advantage.

The victory comes only three days after Slot’s side surpassed a PSG on Paris to get a slender 1-0 advantage in the second part of his 16 Champions League round.

Three goals, three points ✊🔴 pic.twitter.com/adskwzyjof

– Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 8, 2025

Southampton’s visit, at least, on paper, presented a completely different challenge for the Slot team, but the Dutch manager still felt the need to make three changes to the half to try to return to the game.

Slot revealed that he had warned his squad against complacency before he started, and he talked about how it was necessary to create “anger” in the dressing room at halftime to say goodbye to his players.

“I think I tried everything before the game,” Slot said after the game.

“So in the media, in my meetings, to make them clear (the players) how difficult it is a game.

“But in the end I had to make some difficult decisions in the middle of the time to create a certain anger with the players. And those who came, again, were very important to us and this helped us achieve victory over the line.”

Liverpool’s leadership at the top could be reduced to 13 points if Arsenal beat Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The next Slot team is a second match with PSG. Both teams meet on Tuesday in Anfield with a place in the last eight of the European Club competition in play.