We Will Find Out – Liverpool Legend Sees Carabao Cup Final As Test Of Arne Slot
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Former Liverpool star Steve Nicol believes that Reds boss Arne Slot’s man management skills have yet to be tested this season, but feel they will get tested at the weekend against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final.
Despite winning the first leg in Paris last week, Liverpool bowed out of the Champions League on Wednesday after their defeat on penalties against Paris Saint-Germain.
However, Slot’s team have no time to dwell on their defeat as they have a big game ahead in the form of the EFL Cup final against Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United at the weekend.
Nicol believes that for Liverpool, having the Carabao Cup final just after the PSG defeat is the best thing that can happen, as the Reds players will be keen on righting all the wrongs they did in the previous game.
He pointed out that for all the praise Slot has received so far for his tactics and style of football, his man management skills have never been tested before and thinks that whether he can pick his team up from the recent defeat to get them back on track will be a test for him.
“Well, to be honest, in some ways it is the greatest thing to happen that you have got a cup final in the next game”, Nicol said on ESPN FC (3:10).
“Generally, you cannot wait to get back on the horse when you have had a poor game; regardless of whether it is a big game or a small game, if you have had a poor game, you can’t wait to correct that, and so I think in some ways this may be a good thing.
“What we will find out, though, Arne Slot this season, we have been talking about how good his coaching is, how good his decision-making is, how the way they play, they play 100 miles per hour but sometimes slow and controlled, but I don’t think he has ever had his man management skills tested yet.
“His motivation and man management skills will absolutely shine through, hopefully, at the weekend.”
Liverpool have not lost a game against Newcastle since their defeat in December 2015 at St. James’ Park and will be keen on maintaining that record.
The Carabao Cup final presents Slot with his first opportunity to lift a trophy with Liverpool, but they will face a Newcastle side that are hungry for their first piece of domestic silverware since 1955.
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