Slot relief after Liverpool beat West Ham 2-0 to end losing run

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Slot relief after Liverpool beat West Ham 2-0 to end losing run  30/11/2025  London Stadium, London, UK

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00:00A relief, although I said immediately to my colleagues, it might be a handball.

00:11I wasn't surprised that it took a while before he said it is a goal.

00:16I haven't seen it back, but I assume it wasn't.

00:18I was doubting that a little bit.

00:20I'm happy, but more when the referee pointed towards the kick-off than it was 2-0.

00:29What did you make of the response of your team overall for the last couple of games?

00:36In terms of results, it was of course very good, but there were also a few things similar

00:44than other games of ours and a few things that were different.

00:47So the things that were similar were that, again, we couldn't score our first chances.

00:52The good thing was that today for the first time in many, many, many games,

00:57the first chance of the opponent didn't go in as well.

01:01The best thing was that it was their only chance, and that was after 90 minutes.

01:06And it's happened so many times to us that the first time the other team gets scores in,

01:11then you get a completely different game, as we saw so many times now.

01:16Not conceding a set-piece, actually maybe scoring from one,

01:23but because it came from a long throw, it took a while.

01:26But these are things that are so important if you want to win a game of football.

01:32And yes, people would probably say you had more control, you didn't concede as much yet,

01:36but it's quite a difference if you go 1-0 down after five minutes and you have to chase the game.

01:40Or you're 0-0, you're controlling the game, and after 1-0 you can control it even more.

01:45Even at 0-0 today, the supporters were pressing in your name and they were throughout the game.

01:51How much does that mean to you to have that unwavering support from them,

01:55even in spite of the last few weeks?

01:57Yes, a lot. It says a lot about the club and about the fans.

02:00They were not only supportive for me but for our whole team.

02:04I think if you have such a run of form we are having and you have an away game,

02:08and the away end is so full and supports the team from start to finish,

02:13including me indeed.

02:16That's special, not only after the 1-0, but already a 0-0 from start to finish.

02:22It tells you that this club is always together, but maybe even more in difficult moments.

02:28Then they appreciate probably even more what you've done for the club and support you then.

02:35I think that's what makes the club special as well.

02:39To support someone when he's successful is much easier than to support someone

02:43or a team or an individual when things are as tough as they are now.

02:48Never mind the second goal, how did you feel when the first goal went in?

02:51It's been a while coming, hasn't it?

02:54For us to score a goal is not a while coming,

02:57but for us to go 1-0 up has been indeed.

03:01The scorer, I'm talking about the scorer.

03:03Oh yeah, that's also true, yeah.

03:05But that is also a bit unfair to him because normally as a No. 9,

03:10I think in general No. 9 plays more minutes than I've played Alex till now,

03:16because of the obvious reasons.

03:18So even today I had to take him off after 65, I think.

03:21So yes, he's played already quite a lot of games, but in terms of minutes not so much.

03:26And it's very important for us as a team that we went 1-0 up,

03:31but I think it was also important for him because I think it was his third chance,

03:35maybe fourth of this game.

03:37And I don't think there was much more than ten minutes in him to go,

03:42so then to score just before you come off was important for us, but also for him.

03:47Michael?

03:48Can I ask you what you've made of Florian Virch's performance today?

03:56Good. As the team played a very good game,

04:00so recently I've been asked a lot about individuals when they've played maybe not a game of their usual standards,

04:07and I've pointed out to the team every single time.

04:10So now after a positive, very positive performance from Florian,

04:16I can acknowledge that, but I also want to emphasise on the team performance that was much better.

04:22What did you ask him to do today?

04:26Like I've asked to all of them, play to your own standards.

04:31But I think we've tried to create an extra midfielder,

04:37and he was very important for us to find every time that extra midfielder.

04:43When he made the dribble, he was really good in his one-touch balls.

04:46I even remember a moment where he played the balls diagonally into the 18-yard box to Cody Kakpo,

04:54which then doesn't lead to a shot, so no XG value.

04:58But we had many of those moments, and he was part of many of those moments, I think.

05:03So a good game.

05:04Performance staff was constantly telling me,

05:06he needs to go out, he needs to go out,

05:08because he's been out for one and a half, two weeks, and he only trained once.

05:13So to a certain extent, maybe it was a bit of a risk to keep him in the team,

05:17but some situations ask an exception, and I think today was one of them.

05:24Check on Kerkas, was that just cramping?

05:27Cramp, yeah.

05:28Up against Bowen, didn't really get any change out from Bowen?

05:32No, the only moment when Bowen had a chance was when he was out,

05:36but it had nothing to do with the full-back that was in,

05:38but that was the only chance they had.

05:40And as a result of that, of course, the only chance Bowen had.

05:45Good performance, good defensive performance from him.

05:47I think he was also attacking-wise a few times a threat in the first half,

05:53another time when it didn't lead to a shot on target,

05:56but the cut-back crossed from him when we overloaded the box.

05:59We're all moments where I think if we are in a better run of form,

06:03these moments will lead to more goals.

06:05So, yeah, good, but it also maybe tells you something.

06:10I've emphasised a lot of time on the fact that some players need to adapt to the Premier League,

06:15and I've emphasised a lot of times on the fact that some players need to adapt to three games a week.

06:20And then maybe it's not a surprise that Milos has cramp in the end, for two reasons.

06:28He's not completely used to that.

06:30And second of all, because he puts so much effort in every single time he plays.

06:35You've also checked on Alisson, he obviously clattered into Gomez in the first half.

06:39Was he just winded?

06:40Sorry?

06:41Was he just winded?

06:42What was the injury?

06:44I don't think there was an injury, otherwise you cannot keep on playing.

06:47So, I think he's OK.

06:49He didn't have a lot of work to do.

06:52So, yeah, I assume that he's ready to play again.

06:58There was a lot of frustration in the crowd, maybe because of what happened yesterday at City,

07:06there's been a bit of controversy around tactical injuries with goalkeepers.

07:09Do you think that's an issue or is it not something that's in your mind?

07:13I don't know what happened at City, so you have to tell me first.

07:16Donnarumma went down after being shouted at Bruno Giers,

07:21and there was speculation over whether it was a tactical injury.

07:25Oh, OK.

07:27I have in general a very clear opinion about time-wasting,

07:32but I think this incident with us, we are the last team in this league,

07:37I would almost say that that's time-wasting.

07:39But I've noticed in the last few weeks when we've lost and when we were a goal down,

07:43I've seen so, so, so many time-wasting, so it's a bit of a...

07:48And I was constantly hoping if I would get that question or people would notice it,

07:52and now we are winning and I get the question about time-wasting.

07:56This is so, this is so weird.

07:59Actually, the other team where I would never suspect time-wasting of a City,

08:05by the way, because they, I've said so many times,

08:09a Police Saint-Germain game or so many games we've played,

08:11they were just a joy to watch because that was never part of the game.

08:15And I've watched recently a lot of games where time-wasting was a part of it.

08:20So I would be in favour a lot about that the Premier League is going to do something about time-wasting.

08:28And I have my ideas about it, but it's not smart to say anything about it

08:32after you lose a game of football.

08:34But if anyone is interested in the Premier League, I'm more than open to talk to them about my ideas.

08:41Just a quick question, last time Mo didn't start Premier League in 2024 here,

08:47what was your thinking beyond the not starting today?

08:50Was it just you wanted to have a rest?

08:53No, I got this question of course already a lot.

08:56It's every time when we play a game, when I don't play Florian Weirz,

09:00when I don't play Alexander-Izac, when I don't play Kovitike, when I don't play Mo Salah,

09:03it's about that, which is normal because they're all outstanding players

09:07and Mo has had an unbelievable career here at this club and will have a very good future at this club

09:16because he's such a special player.

09:18Four games in ten days with only 14 to 15 outfield players available for us.

09:23Then you have to decide once in a while to make a certain line-up and you try to pick the best line-up for every single game.

09:32And today, with the way they set up, with a full-back that's constantly very high

09:38and a winger that's constantly inside, I thought that this could help the team.

09:45But like I said, he's been so important for this club and will be important for this club in the future.

09:50You're welcome. Thank you.

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