Arne Slot Describes Reaching First Final With Liverpool As Special After EFL Cup Victory

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Liverpool secured a spot in the EFL Cup final after defeating Tottenham 4-0 at Anfield, overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit. Goals from Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Virgil van Dijk ensured their victory. This marks Liverpool's 15th appearance in the EFL Cup final, more than any other team. They will face Newcastle United for the trophy on March 15.

Arne Slot expressed his delight at reaching his first final with Liverpool, describing it as special. "Pleasant!" he said when asked about reaching his first final with the club. "Although if you know me a little bit, [you know] my thoughts are more on Sunday already than thinking about a final in a month." Slot was already focused on their upcoming FA Cup fourth-round match against Plymouth Argyle.

Slot praised Liverpool's aggressive play without the ball against Tottenham. He noted that Spurs failed to register a single shot on target for the first time under Ange Postecoglou. Despite having only five shots overall and hitting the woodwork late through Son Heung-min, Tottenham struggled to create significant chances.

"Very impressive," Slot added regarding Liverpool's performance. "I think, I am not saying anything strange, Tottenham are conceding goals because they have so many injury problems." He acknowledged that while Spurs can score and create opportunities, Liverpool's defensive work rate was commendable.

Liverpool has now reached the EFL Cup final three times out of four when losing the first leg of a semi-final. They achieved this feat previously in 2000-01 and 2002-03. Slot emphasized that reaching finals is always special for Liverpool, despite their history of playing in them frequently.

The upcoming final against Newcastle is expected to be challenging. Slot mentioned that Newcastle had been impressive against Arsenal recently. "We already know how difficult the final is going to be because we faced Newcastle already," he stated.

Slot highlighted the importance of continuous improvement for both players and staff at Liverpool. "This club is used to playing finals," he said, emphasizing their commitment to hard work and development every day.

Despite Tottenham's struggles due to injuries, Slot focused on Liverpool's achievements rather than their opponent's shortcomings. The Reds' ability to limit Tottenham's chances was seen as a significant accomplishment by Slot.