Liverpool manager Arne Slot, in his pre-match conference on Tuesday, took a swipe at Manchester City amid the Premier League champions’ financial charges, Afrosport reports.
City is currently facing 115 charges for allegedly breaching the Premier League financial rules across a period from 2009-2018, with expulsion from the league on the cards as punishment.
Liverpool beat City 2-0 at Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday as goals from Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah further added to the growing problems for Pep Guardiola’s men, who have lost six of their last seven matches in all competitions.
When asked about Salah’s contract situation after the Egyptian, whose current deal comes to an end after this season, suggested he could have played his last home game against City, Slot jokingly poked at his rival’s ongoing Financial Fair Play hearing.
“Maybe Mo [Mohamed Salah] knows more about the 115 accusations (charges faced by Manchester City) that are done,” Slot replied.
“So, he expects them not to be in the Premier League next season. And I do expect him in the Premier League.
“No, I think the boring answer is always the same. This is not the place for me to talk about Mo’s contract and maybe I’ve said already too much about the joke I just made. So, that will probably get the headlines. But it was a joke. I repeat, it was a joke.”
City, who risks relegation from the Premier League if found guilty of breaching its financial rules, has denied the charges, and a closed-door hearing is taking place with a verdict expected early next year.
The defending champions have lost four straight Premier League games and will be hoping for a positive turnaround with a clash against high-flying Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium on the cards on Wednesday.
Next up…
The Reds are on the road to take on Newcastle United at St James’ Park 🏟️🔴 pic.twitter.com/1cJia0wkBa
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 3, 2024
Liverpool comfortably sits atop the league standings, nine points ahead of Arsenal and 11 points clear of fifth-placed City. However, Slot, who was asked about his team’s chances of winning the title, downplayed their current form, reiterating there is a long way to go until the end of the season.
“It’s not that special for us to be on top of the Premier League or the Champions League,” Slot said.
“This club, this team, these players are used to be top of the league and competing for every trophy. They have experienced this. They also know it’s a long season and to win the league against the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and City – because I see those three as our main competitors – that you have to be on top of our game for 10 months.
“We’ve seen the quality of the three already and know we have to stay on top of our game. We now face Newcastle, who beat Arsenal and Chelsea at home, and drew with City. They don’t need me to tell them how tough a game it will be.”
Slot will lead Liverpool to St. James’ Park, where they will take on Newcastle United on Wednesday with the Reds currently on a 16-game unbeaten run in all competitions and a four-game winning streak in the Premier League.
