Arne Slot says Liverpool need to treat Southampton game like a final

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has urged players and fans to treat the visit of Southampton like a final and not be distracted by their Champions League exploits against Paris St Germain.

The leaders could go 16 points clear with Arsenal not playing Manchester United until Sunday but a game against one of the worst teams of the Premier League era is not one to get the pulses racing.

After Wednesday’s smash-and-grab 1-0 win in the French capital the attention is, understandably, on next week’s Champions League last-16 second leg which is then followed by the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle.

But Slot has issued a plea for everyone to get on board for the visit of Saints, saying: “For me the one against Southampton is by far the most important.

“I have to convince my players we play three finals and I am hoping that I influence our fans so they understand how important they are going to be.

“I hope they will not come into the stadium five minutes before kick-off, I’m hoping the stadium is already filled half-an-hour before so these players get the reward for what they did in Paris.

“I know the final is there and everyone is already talking to me about how the atmosphere will be on a Champions League night but truly I hope our fans will be at their loudest tomorrow.”

Slot has not given any thought to team selections for either PSG or Newcastle.

But after taking into consideration the physical exertions in Paris, where his side were completely dominated for the best part of 70 minutes, he will weigh up the mental impact.

“That is difficult to measure but it is definitely something you also feel when you are on the touchline and it is something you definitely take into account,” he added.

“They have run just as much as the other games but there is difference if you have 70 per cent ball possession or you have only 30 per cent.

“The runs you have to make are from a negative perspective if they have the ball all the time and it is not as nice as if you have the ball.

“That is why I was happy with the goal Harvey (Elliott) scored because it gives us a good advantage for the second game but mentally it helps a lot.”

What Slot can rely on, however, is the drive of his players, particularly those who have won the league and Champions League already.

The case of 30-goal forward Mohamed Salah is a prime example. After enduring one of his worst nights in the Parc des Princes he was replaced in the 86th minute by Elliott, who subsequently scored with his first touch 47 seconds later.

“I don’t think Mo was happy I took him off five minutes from the end, if you look at his body language,” said Slot.

“To be clear, it is not the headline that Mo is frustrated. I can see he would have preferred for me not to take him off but his behaviour was completely normal.

“He probably thought ‘Maybe there was one chance to come and I will score that one’ and to be fair to him he always does that.

“People now say ‘Ah, a good substitution because Harvey scored’ but I think if I ask him (Salah) he would tell me ‘If I was there I would have scored the same goal as well’.

“All of them showed great character this season and that is also what we need against Southampton because they are not playing as a team who is bottom of the league.”