Liverpool manager Arne Slot believes Sunday’s FA Community Shield loss could be the perfect spark his team needs before defending their Premier League crown.
The Reds lost 4-3 on penalties to Crystal Palace after a thrilling 2-2 draw at Wembley.
New arrivals Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong both found the net in their first competitive outing for the club. They were joined by Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz in the starting line-up.
Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com after the match, Slot shared his thoughts on the contest.
“I think it’s a good first impression the new players have, [those] that haven’t played in this league last season. This [Palace] was the number 12 [12th-placed team] of last season – a very good team, [who] especially in the end they did so well that they maybe are better than the number 12 [position] they ended up in.
“But if these are the number 12 that can make it such a hard time for you, you know what you are going to have to expect if you play here and that is what they know now.
“And the ones that played here for a longer time also know that if you won the league, if you wear a Liverpool shirt, everybody wants to win desperately against you and we have to be more ready for that than we were today.”
The Merseyside outfit now turn their focus to Friday night’s Premier League opener at Anfield against AFC Bournemouth. The defending champions will be eager to hit the ground running and show the resilience the gaffer expects.
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