Liverpool manager Arne Slot has explained Federico Chiesa’s lack of minutes at Anfield – putting it mainly down to the dazzling form of Mo Salah. Since his summer transfer from Juventus, Chiesa has only clocked up 387 minutes across all competitions for the Reds, with fitness issues and minor injuries hampering his start at the club.
However, he demonstrated his potential with a well-taken goal in the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle. Despite his limited pitch time, including just 25 minutes in the Premier League, Slot is confident in Chiesa’s abilities. He stated: “It wasn’t only that I didn’t see a lot of him because we had so many games but it was also because he was injured more than he and we wanted. At the moment, he is in competition with Mo Salah and I don’t think you can deny Mo has quite a good season.”
Slot expressed his trust in Chiesa and other players who haven’t seen as much action as Salah or Virgil van Dijk, assuring fans they can be relied upon when needed. The Reds are set to return to action on Wednesday night against Everton following their Carabao Cup final defeat.
Liverpool face their Merseyside rivals aiming to maintain or possibly extend their 12-point lead at the top of the Premier League, especially if Arsenal falter against Fulham. While his players were away on international duty, it was an opportunity for Slot to take a breather after an exhausting period.
He said: “The only difference is the first three were after one or two months work, this one was after four months of non-stop work so I like this one the most for the simple reason it was four months in a row. It was my first experience of playing in the winter so this one I liked the most, I needed the most as well.
“But there is no difference between back then and now. If you want to achieve something in the Premier League, in the League Cup, in the FA Cup, you need to compete with the best teams in the world so there is no room for going a gear down, you always have to be on top of your game. You have to be there in September, in October, in March and definitely in April and May.”
Content Source: www.express.co.uk