Arne Slot‘s decision to provide his players rest in the final stages of the season will have significant benefits next term, Reds expert David Lynch has argued.
The Merseysiders are set to take on Brighton & Hove Albion in their penultimate game of the Premier League season, though with the Premier League title already won, Slot has admitted that it has been harder to motivate his players.
Some fans are concerned that Liverpool could end the campaign in disappointing fashion, especially as the team are winless in their past two, losing one and drawing one.
Lynch insisted that Slot’s decision to ease off in the final games of the season will benefit the Reds next season, when he told Sports Mole: “The management staff have been very good this season acknowledging that days off are important to players, and they’ve done that all the way throughout the season, not running them into the ground in terms of training sessions.
“These players need rest whenever they can get it, and it does not come around very often at all. If they’re starting their holidays a little early and they go to Brighton and they get beat, so what? They won the title. The players will be thankful for these breaks and these gaps when next season comes around because they are already getting a head start on their rest.
“All the other teams are not – they’re going at full intensity, full training. Liverpool are basically getting an extended summer holiday and I think it’s a brilliant decision by the manager to do that. I genuinely do believe that the rewards will be reaped next season.”
Many members of the squad were spotted on holiday in Dubai in the past week, while Slot himself was photographed in Ibiza in the buildup to the Brighton clash.
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Why the Reds are in a strong position
Manchester City won the title in 2023-24 but have fallen short of their usually high standards, with the club at risk of missing out on Champions League qualification.
While Pep Guardiola will undoubtedly look to make signings in the upcoming transfer market in order to try and wrestle the Premier League crown from the Reds, his plans in pre-season could be disrupted due to his side’s participation in the Club World Cup.
Speaking to Sports Mole, Lynch highlighted how the Reds will likely be better placed than City to compete for the league given they will not participate in the competition, saying: “How do Man City start next season? If they make the right signings, they should be up there, but [what if] they start the season poorly because they’ve had a messed up pre-season off the back of the Club World Cup?
“Similarly with Chelsea – I don’t think they’ll be entitled to contention – so it’s an opportunity for Liverpool. If Liverpool are coming back having already had four weeks of holiday prior to their actual holiday, and then they go into pre-season and it really starts then, they’re going to be absolutely bang up for it when the season starts. They’re going to be in really good nick.
“No tiredness there or hangover, though maybe an actual hangover, but not one from the season prior. They’re going to be in good shape for next season, [and the rest] really helps. As Liverpool fans, don’t be too intense about what these last games mean or what we can read into them, because it’s not much.”
Chelsea will also feature in the Club World Cup, so perhaps the two teams will struggle to deal with the demands of a packed schedule.
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What XI will Slot pick?
With the title already secured, Slot could field a weakened starting XI on Monday and give the likes of Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott starts without repercussions.
There are many members of the squad with question marks regarding their long-term futures, and the Liverpool boss could look to give them final appearances before departing.
However, Lynch explained that the only player certain to feature will be Mohamed Salah due to the fact the winger is still chasing records, telling Sports Mole: “You saw rotation at Chelsea, you didn’t see rotation at Arsenal. I spoke to someone at the club who said the manager wanted to go strong against Arsenal because he wanted to show [why Liverpool won the league] against our closest rivals.
“The Brighton game doesn’t mean anything. They’re not a rival, Liverpool don’t need to win need. One thing you can guarantee is that Salah will start on the basis that they’re trying to get him that assist record. His luck’s running out towards the end of the season, but there’s still two games to go. Let’s see what happens.”
Salah needs three more assists to break Theirry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne‘s record of 20 Premier League assists, and the Egyptian will want Slot to field as strong a team as possible in order to achieve his goals.
