Dutch coach Arne Slot, manager of Liverpool FC, expressed his strong dissatisfaction with the events of the match against Newcastle, stating that the game had strayed far from tactical football and turned into a physical battle full of set-pieces and long balls. Liverpool secured an exciting 3-2 victory over Newcastle on Monday evening in the second round of the English Premier League. After the match, Slot told Sky Sports, “I’m not sure if I watched a football match today. Set-pieces kept recurring, as did long passes.” He added, “It wasn’t much about tactics, as I said before the match, but I liked that we stood firm.

The first half hour or even 45 minutes were very tough, but we held together.” He explained, “When the opponent plays with ten men, you expect it to be in your favor, but when the goalkeeper takes every free kick, it doesn’t help much despite the numerical advantage. That’s why it was hard to keep the 2-0 lead until the end.” He concluded, “The third goal was wonderful from a 16-year-old player. Rio has a remarkable finishing touch for his age. I heard someone in the dressing room say he would have touched the ball first before shooting, but he is very confident. For his age, he is indeed a talented striker.” Liverpool raised their points to six after their second consecutive win at the start of the new Premier League season, following a 4-2 victory over Bournemouth in the first round.