August 26th 2024.
During the closing stages of Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Brentford, Trent Alexander-Arnold was substituted out of the game. Despite his unhappy reaction, Liverpool's new manager Arne Slot remained calm and unfazed. Slot, who was having an otherwise dream debut game, took the time to speak with Alexander-Arnold on the bench, who was clearly disappointed with being taken off in the 72nd minute for Conor Bradley. This substitution came shortly after Mohamed Salah scored Liverpool's second goal, following Luis Diaz's opener. However, Slot dismissed any speculation of a rift with Alexander-Arnold, who had just played for England in Euro 2024.
In an interview after the game, Slot addressed Alexander-Arnold's substitution, saying, "He didn't seem too pleased with being taken off, and I understand that. Every player wants to play the full 90 minutes, but I don't think any of the players on the bench were happy with my decision. But we have to take care of Trent. He just came back from the national team, where he played a lot in the beginning of the tournament, but then didn't play as much. He had a few weeks off before coming back to us, and this was only his third game. We have to make sure we take care of him for the whole season, not just the first two games. The good thing for me is that I have a great backup in Conor. So, while we are taking care of Trent, he still played a fantastic game."
Diaz's goal in the first 15 minutes, followed by Salah's goal in the 70th minute, secured Liverpool's second consecutive win and clean sheet. However, despite these victories, Slot knows that tougher challenges lie ahead, starting with their game against Manchester United next weekend. "We've had two great wins against tough opponents," Slot said. "But we still have a lot to prove for the rest of the season. While both Ipswich and Brentford deserve respect for the way they played against us, I don't expect either of them to be in the top six at the end of the season."
Slot's debut at Anfield was met with a warm welcome from the fans, and he was even serenaded in the closing stages of the game. Liverpool's owner, John W. Henry, also made a special trip from the United States to attend the game. However, unlike Jurgen Klopp's famous fist pumps to the Kop, Slot simply waved and clapped towards the fans at the end of the game after a job well done. "The reception from the fans was just as warm as the reception I received from the people in and around the club," Slot said. "I can't speak for all managers, but I think they would all agree that every manager who comes here feels the warmth and appreciation from this club and its fans. Our main goal as managers is to make sure the team plays in a style that the fans enjoy, and I think the boys showed that today."
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