Arne Slot claims Arsenal are only one of two teams who have not changed their gameplan when playing Liverpool at Anfield this season.
Liverpool ran out 4-1 winners at home to Barnsley in the third round of the FA Cup on Monday night but the League One side caused plenty of problems for their Premier League opposition.
Speaking after his side’s win, Slot praised Barnsley’s approach to the FA Cup tie but pointed out that they used a different formation for their trip to Anfield.
The Liverpool manager also said that Arsenal, who lost 1-0 at Anfield in August following Dominik Szoboszlai’s excellent free-kick, have been one of the exceptional cases this season as Mikel Arteta did not alter his side’s playing style.
‘I think they [Barnsley] can be proud of themselves, how they did and how difficult they made it for us,’ Slot said.
‘A game plan that looked very similar to a lot of teams that are coming here. How many games did we play this season? Probably around 30? I think 28 of my pre-match meetings I could just throw in the bin, I think only once or twice the team did what they did the 20 weeks before.
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‘Arsenal was one of them, they just played against us what we’re used to, but Barnsley always plays a 4-3-3 and today decided to go with five, which I can completely understand and which I would have done if I was their manager as well.
‘But another time, a meeting that you try to show them what to expect, what they usually do, but they did something different, and by doing that they made it really difficult for us.
‘So, compliments for their game plan and compliments for the desire they had, the willingness they had to fight for a result. For a long time they were in the game because I think it was the 84th [minute] I think, something like that, when we scored the 3-1. It’s a compliment to them.’
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