Arne Slot, head coach of Liverpool(Image: Oliver Hardt - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

'I know' - Arne Slot makes Arsenal 'dark arts' claim ahead of Liverpool clash

27 Oct 2024, 11:00 by Mark Wakefield · football.london

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has praised Mikel Arteta's tactics at Arsenal and dismissed the suggestion of 'dark arts' being used by the Gunners.

Arsenal will face the Merseyside club at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League, looking to return to winning ways in the top flight. Last week's defeat to Bournemouth means Arsenal are four points behind Liverpool in the table going into the clash in North London and are six points adrift of leaders Manchester City following their win over Southampton on Saturday.

Slot has overseen 11 wins across his first 12 matches as Liverpool's head coach since replacing Jurgen Klopp at Anfield in the summer. The Dutchman was recently asked about some of the tactics used by Arsenal in recent years but instead focused on the positives from their title rivals.

"If I look at Arsenal and [Manchester] City, it doesn't even come to my mind about tactical fouls or dark arts, it only comes to my mind how well they play," Slot told the Liverpool Echo.

"And that both teams for every second of the game have an idea what they want, what their principles are how they want to play.

"Both teams are very well managed and you can see that at both clubs there are two managers who have worked there for a long time because they implemented a playing style now for every second. That is what comes to mind when I think about Arsenal and City."

"It's your (the media) words that they are implementing those tactics," Slot added. "The only thing I know is that my players are experienced, and they know how to handle certain situations.

"I am not using the word streetwise, I am using the word experienced and you have to cope with if the other team is better than you and how you react in those moments.

"But again, if I think about City and Arsenal and even Liverpool, I think about the quality of the players and the quality of their playing style and not those other things."

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