Arne Slot pinpoints big improvement in Liverpool’s ‘special’ Champions League win

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot insists opening their Champions League campaign with a 3-1 victory over AC Milan was more important than his birthday.

The game coincided with the Dutchman turning 46 but the focus was getting his first European campaign off to a winning start.

They achieved that with goals from Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai after conceding early on to Christian Pulisic.

“I said a few times, normally you celebrate your birthday with your friends and family but this was a real good alternative to play against a special club for Liverpool and a special club for Dutch people,” said Slot, who was pleased they bounced back so well from Saturday’s shock defeat to Nottingham Forest.

“The way we won it, 1-0 down after five mins with Forest in our head was very good to see. The way the players took the game in their hands to win it 3-1. I think we were a bit disappointed with the Forest result, getting eight corners and not scoring. We felt with all the work we put in for set-pieces someone would get their reward. We were comfortable on the ball, hit the bar in open play, so we needed set-pieces.”

Slot was also happy with the way his side recovered from conceding early.

“In the first four or five minutes we lost the ball in choices which were not good to make and they could counter-attack,” he added.

“But afterwards we dominated possession more and it didn’t lead to counter-attacks.”

Milan coach Paulo Fonseca admitted once they conceded the equaliser the game started to get away from them.

“I don’t think we lacked the right attitude,” he said.

“I believe we started well but, after conceding, the team lost balance and started making mistakes, which are decisive against a team like Liverpool.

“I have to say that Liverpool were better.”