Liverpool manager Arne Slot has hit back at Michael Owen following the pundit’s suggestion that even with Premier League glory, the Reds will be left feeling seriously underwhelmed by their season, while the Dutchman has also revealed his true feelings on title success.
The Merseysiders can move a dominant 14 points clear of nearest challengers Arsenal on Sunday if they can claim all three points from a testing trip to face Fulham at Craven Cottage. That’s after the Gunners were held to a 1-1 draw at Everton on Saturday in a result that, in many people’s eyes, now confirms Liverpool as Premier League champions.
That title success will mark a superb first season at the helm for Slot, who is now closing on only the club‘s second English league crown in 35 years – and their first in front of supporters since 1990.
Yet despite being on the cusp of glory, Owen put to Reds captain Virgil van Dijk after Wednesday’s Merseyside derby win over Everton that this season will be left with a sense of underachievement following their early exit from the Champions League and defeat in the Carabao Cup final.
While Van Dijk ordered Owen to ‘change the narrative,’ Slot is also clearly unhappy with claims that the 2024/25 season could have been so much better for Liverpool.
Tag-teaming with his captain, Slot remarked: “Let me understand it right, Virgil was a bit frustrated because it came across as if it’s not enough to ‘only’ win the Premier League? Michael played for us, didn’t he? So he is aware of the fact that in 35 years we won the league once?
“There is your answer. If you can win the league with this club then, phew, nothing else matters. If you do it 10 times in a row, then I could understand that people say, ‘Oh, but you only win the Premier League’.
“At this club, you can compete for it and let alone win it, then it is a strange question to ask in my opinion. If Virgil has this opinion as well, then I agree with him. I follow the Dutch media a bit more than the media here and… no, let’s leave it!”
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Slot reveals what title will means as Van Dijk shuts down Owen
A title success this season will mean so much for Liverpool supporters who were denied the chance to celebrate with the players last time around, when the Covid-disrupted season saw Jordan Henderson hold aloft the trophy in front of an empty Anfield.
And having been starved for so long of the Premier League, and having watched Manchester United and then Man City dominate, this year‘s success will feel a long time coming for fans, not just around Merseyside but across the world.
Slot is also keen to stress that their triumph should not be played down, having reflected on something Pep Guardiola recently said.
Talking up Liverpool’s imminent achievement, Slot concluded: “I think the league is better than it ever was, the strength overall is getting better.
“I think even Pep [Guardiola] said there will not be a team again as long as he lives that gets more than 100 points and wins the league four times in a row.”
Slot’s comments follow on nicely to Van Dijk, who also told Owen why this season’s success will feel so special.
After Owen presented that theory to Van Dijk for Premier League Productions, the Reds skipper responded curtly: “So you’re suggesting the season is not going to be special any more?”
Owen said: “It will be, absolutely, it will be special, but I thought it could’ve been building into something very special.”
Van Dijk replied: “Well, I think we have to change that narrative a little bit.
“We’re fighting for the biggest prize of the season, we worked so hard for it, 20 teams are working so hard to be on top of the Premier League.
‘We have eight games to go, we know what’s at stake, we have to go for it, we have to fight, we have to enjoy the whole ride and then let’s see. Like I said, it’s still looking very special in my eyes.
“I think what you said, at the start of the season, I think no one expected us to even try to fight on all four fronts, obviously we’re at the stage now where we’re still fighting for the biggest, and that’s the reality. It’s still a possibility that this season will be very, very special.”
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Meanwhile, Liverpool have joined the race for a French-born defender with a €30m release clause as a possible replacement for Ibrahima Konate, amid new fears he will leave this summer, per a report.
Elsewhere, the Reds are said to be hanging on to a glimmer of hope that they might be able to sign Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, as the date for his contract update approaches, according to reports in Spain.
A move believable swoop for the Reds could come in attack in the form of a new No.9 and it’s also now being claimed that Liverpool have opened talks for Hugo Ekitike as they try to beat Manchester United and Arsenal to the signing of the Eintracht Frankfurt ace.
And finally, Slot is also reportedly considering swooping for a tigerish Aston Villa midfielder, amid claims the Villans may soon be forced to offer the star a ‘huge’ pay rise.