Liverpool manager Arne Slot has been speaking about Chelsea following his side’s loss to them on Sunday.
The Blues beat the Premier League champions 3-1 at Stamford Bridge, giving their chances of qualifying for the Champions League a major boost.
Enzo Fernandez gave Chelsea an early lead before a Jarell Quansah own goal made it 2-0. Virgil van Dijk pulled one back for Liverpool, but a Cole Palmer penalty ended any hope of a comeback for Slot’s men.
This Chelsea team were at their best and Slot has now discussed their season as a whole.
Arne Slot surprised by gap between Liverpool and Chelsea
There were some really good individual performances on the afternoon, including from Palmer. Gary Neville thought Palmer was the best player on the pitch as the attacker ended his goal drought, yet there still remains a massive gap between Liverpool and Chelsea.
For Slot, that gap is a huge surprise, with the Dutchman clearly impressed with what he has seen from Enzo Maresca‘s men this season.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Slot said: “I expected them to be a threat this season because at Anfield they were better than us. They were so close to us. It was a complete surprise to me that we are now 19 points clear of them or something like that.
“I didn’t feel that at all when we played them. That tells you how well we did, probably, if a team like this with so much quality, and also not only in the first XI, but in the complete squad, that we are able to be 19 points ahead of them is a big compliment for our players.”
While it was a big win for Chelsea, it is not job done yet. Their spot in the top five is not secured, while they still have to play Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest, who are also trying to finish in the Champions League places.
Finish above those two and win the Conference League, though, and May could be an amazing month for Chelsea.
Arne Slot on what Chelsea excel at
Slot has also been impressed with how Chelsea have dominated games this season, though he feels his side were better with the ball on this occasion.
“Nothing good comes from losing a game of football, but if I have to take the positives there were definitely a few positives,” the 46-year-old said. “Dominating ball possession at Stamford Bridge is not what many teams do over here because Chelsea are so comfortable with the ball as well.”
Under Maresca, Chelsea have indeed seen a lot of the ball in games. If the Blues make more out of that possession next term and become more clinical, then maybe they can start to close that gap between them and Liverpool.
