Arne Slot sets the record straight on Liverpool theory rejected by Virgil van Dijk
Michael Owen was scolded by Virgil van Dijk for claiming this season won't be really special for Liverpool despite Premier League title success and Arne Slot agrees with captain
Arne Slot has hit back at any suggestion that Liverpool winning the Premier League title is not enough this season. The Reds look to take another step closer to their 20th crown as champions of England when they face Fulham on Sunday.
But captain Virgil van Dijk had to correct former Liverpool striker Michael Owen in an interview this week following the win over Everton. Owen said the Reds were building the season into “something really special” until a Champions League exit in the last 16 and a Carabao Cup final loss which Van Dijk took exception to.
The Dutch boss said: “Let me understand it right, Virgil was a bit frustrated because it came across as it’s not enough to ONLY win the Premier League? Michael (Owen) did play 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 I would say. If you do it ten times in a row then I could understand that people say ‘Oh but you only win the Premier League’.
READ MORE: Jamie Carragher spells out mammoth task for Liverpool as Arne Slot needs SIX new signingsREAD MORE: Jurgen Klopp nearly caused Liverpool to miss out on Mohamed Salah transfer“If [Manchester] City ONLY won the Premier League then I could understand people saying: ‘It’s not a good season for City’. But if, 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.”
Liverpool only need 13 more points from eight games with Arsenal barely in the rear-view mirror at this stage. Defending champions City are battling it out in the race for Champions League qualification.
The ease at which the Reds are winning the league has led to suggestions that it is not the best competition this season. Slot, like Pep Guardiola, points to how the likes of Nottingham Forest and Sunday's opponents Fulham are pushing for Europe while City are off the title pace as to why this league is actually stronger than ever.
He said: “I think the league is better than it ever was, that is what people are always saying. That’s what I hear a lot because the strength overall is getting better. I think even Pep 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 because so many more teams are having so many more good players.
“I think he even said what I have said the whole year, that all clubs, even some who are fighting against relegation, have some players who can play for City, for Arsenal, for us, for Chelsea and for these type of teams.
“The reason why teams you might expect to have more points don’t have them is because the league has become stronger. That is probably why it is such a compliment for us that we do have those points at the moment.”
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