Jamie Carragher explains how Arne Slot’s ‘hilarious’ press conference tricked Ange Postecoglou.
Jamie Carragher was stunned as Ange Postecoglou succumbed to Arne Slot’s ‘mind games’ on Sunday, with Liverpool cruising to a 6-3 victory and extending their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points. Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister, and Dominik Szoboszlai all found the net in a dominant display.
The result marked a pivotal moment in the title race, especially with Chelsea and Manchester City dropping points over the weekend. While there were initial doubts about how quickly the former Feyenoord manager would settle in, Slot now appears to hold a psychological edge over his competitors.
Since Postecoglou’s arrival at Tottenham in 2023, his team’s matches have averaged 3.6 goals per game (combined for both sides) – the highest of any manager with over 50 Premier League games. While this level of entertainment may appeal to neutral fans, Carragher has highlighted why it should be a cause for concern.
Carragher Pinpoints Slot Mind Games That Led To Emphatic Win
The former Liverpool defender believes an attacking philosophy was an error of judgement
During his pre-match press conference on Friday, Arne Slot praised Ange Postecoglou, saying: “How on earth can you play too much attacking football?” and describing Tottenham as “a joy to watch.” Slot even admitted he “is a fan” of Postecoglou’s side and hopes they secure a trophy this season – as long as it’s not the League Cup, where the two managers will face off in the semi-finals.
Reflecting on the comments, Jamie Carragher offered a different perspective on Sky Sports. As per Liverpool Echo, he said: “That press conference from Slot on Friday was hilarious. People thought he was defending Postecoglou – I don’t believe that for one minute that he was actually [defending him].”
“I thought he went too far, it was that obvious. He (Postecoglou) was desperate for Tottenham to play exactly the same way as they did against Manchester United and Liverpool could have scored 10. In that press conference, everyone I spoke to – Liverpool supporters – it was obvious.”
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In the end, Liverpool found it all too easy to claim three points and drive home for Christmas confident that a Premier League title could be secured come May. Tottenham stuck to their risky game plan, leaving a three-lunged Szoboszlai and his teammates with plenty of space to exploit as they dismantled the Lilywhites.
Liverpool now shift their focus to a Boxing Day match-up against Leicester City. As for Postecoglou, if he hopes to reverse his team’s fortunes, a positive result against fourth-placed Nottingham Forest will be crucial.
