Red’s boss, Arne Slot says “consistency is the focus” as he previews Sunday's game.

Facing the media ahead of the clash with Manchester City at the Etihad, Arne Slot discussed injuries, tactics, and positioning.

Injury News: “Give him [Alexander Isak] some time” 

A fully fit Alexander Isak is undoubtedly a star player and one that fans will be hoping to see sooner rather than later. Arne Slot revealed that Alexander Isak, is finally stepping back into full training after three weeks out but the manager was keen to express that expectations need to stay grounded. In a previous interview, he said that Alexander Isak's "pre-season" only ended “three weeks ago”. Referencing those comments, the Red’s boss reiterated that after being out for three weeks, it’s unfair to compare "rehab with games or training sessions", and urged both fans and the media to "give him some time".

Andy Robertson was replaced by Milos Kerkez in the dying moments of Tuesday’s win over Real Madrid and , when asked about his left back he said that the fitness of Andy Robertson will be assessed ahead of the trip to the Etihad Stadium: "He started three games in seven days because he played against Crystal Palace. I felt he was tired against Real Madrid, but we have to wait and see. We had recovery the day after and a day off yesterday, so let's see where he is today."

Sunday’s Liverpool’s final game before the November international break and, after that pause Arne Slot is expecting to have more of his first team players available. He said that goalkeeper, Alisson Becker will be back “for sure” after the break and also provided an update on Jeremie Frimpong’s injury, saying he’ll be back in training but “not fully fit”.

Positioning

Florian Wirtz may have struggled at times since arriving in the summer but his performances this week have been praised- particularly his impact from the left. Arne Slot played down any real significance of a position switch and instead praised the individual. He told reporters, "Florian Wirtz can play in more than one position.” He said he’d like to see him “in and around the 18 yard-box…to create the chances”. If Florian Wirtz can really start contributing to Liverpool’s attacking figures then this will be of great benefit- with Arne Slot potentially suggesting that his position doesn’t need to be overcomplicated. If his positive form continues, it could be expected to see Florian Wirtz to pop up wherever he can hurt Manchester City most this weekend.

Focus on Consistency

With Liverpool gaining momentum after successful results against Aston Villa and Real Madrid- a week that many thought would be challenging following the form that they came into this run with. Manchester City always provide tough opposition- many fans but certainly Arne Slot won’t be getting carried away yet.

Arne Slot didn’t want to be drawn into narratives of the title race- rightly so, and as to be expected, he was focusing on each game at a time and not getting carried away. He said “It has been two good games, although I liked our performance more against Manchester United than against Aston Villa."

As for Manchester City, he knows the challenge his side face, saying “playing them away from home is one of the most difficult challenges of the season... but it’s always a great game of football.” Games between Liverpool and Manchester City have often been filled with goals and- on numerous occasions- been games that have had a big say in the Premier League title outcome.

Praise from The Boss

The victory over Real Madrid couldn’t go unmentioned, with Arne Slot saying he wasn’t “surprised” by the win and praised his players. He added that he’s “looking forward to” the Manchester City game.

One player who received some extra praise from his manager was Slot Dominik Szoboszlai, noting that the midfielder "has been outstanding throughout the season". He added that the recent matches against have "brought more out of him". He drew attention to "his work without the ball"- an attribute that may be useful against a team like Manchester City who often like to dominate possession.

Overall, Arne Slot gave the impression that he’s happy and, with players coming back from injury shortly he may have more reasons to be optimistic. A positive result on Sunday would certainly underline this as a very successful and important week in the season. Ultimately, Arne Slot said that “it helps that the team plays more and more together” and following a summer of new arrivals and then several injuries- it appears stability may now be coming and that’s certainly a positive- for players like Florian Wirtz but the whole squad.