Slot Hails Forest's 'Incredible' Form Ahead of Top-of-the-Table Clash

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has praised Nottingham Forest's 'incredible' form ahead of their top-of-the-table clash, acknowledging the challenge his team faces.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has expressed his caution ahead of the team's trip to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, acknowledging that the hosts are genuine Premier League title contenders. Forest, who currently sit third in the table, have been in impressive form, winning six consecutive league games. A seventh straight victory would see them move within three points of Liverpool, the current title favorites.

Slot's respect for Nottingham Forest is evident, particularly given their remarkable transformation from narrowly avoiding relegation last season to challenging for the title this term. The Liverpool manager believes that Forest's position in the table warrants consideration as serious rivals. “I've always said that you can judge the table best halfway through the season, and that moment is there now, so if Forest is up there with us, with Arsenal, Chelsea, (Manchester) City and all the others, then they definitely are a team that's in competition with us and with the other teams,” Slot said during his pre-match press conference on Monday.

The Dutch manager's comments reflect his awareness of the threat posed by Nottingham Forest, who have already beaten Liverpool once this season. As the two teams prepare to face each other again, Slot's cautious approach is understandable, given the high stakes and Forest's impressive form. With the title race heating up, Liverpool will need to be at their best to overcome the challenge posed by Nuno Espirito Santo's side.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has emphasized that Nottingham Forest deserve to be treated as genuine title contenders, given their impressive form and results. “And they deserve to be treated like this if you look at the way they play, if you look at their results. So it's going to be a very difficult challenge tomorrow to get a result,” Slot said. Forest's solid defensive record, having not conceded a goal in the Premier League since mid-December, adds to the challenge facing Liverpool.

Slot acknowledged that Forest's 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield in September was not as surprising as it seemed at the time, given their subsequent form. Forest's rise to prominence has drawn parallels with their past successes, including their league title win in 1978 under Brian Clough. “That's been quite a long time ago and now they're all back at it,” Slot said. “They are doing really, really good and Nuno is doing an incredible job.”

Read a summary of what Arne had to say to reporters at the AXA Training Centre prior to #NFOLIV 👇

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However, Slot also noted that Forest's significant investment in players since their return to the Premier League in 2022 has contributed to their success. “But if you look at the amount of money they've spent, it's not a complete surprise that they do well this season,” he said. Forest's heavy spending has been well-documented, with the club bringing in a large number of new players. Despite being docked four points for breaching Premier League rules on spending, Forest managed to avoid relegation last season.

Slot, who has enjoyed a stellar first season at Liverpool, played down his team's success, focusing instead on the process of implementing his playing style and getting the players fit. “I've said many times if you go into a job you don't think about where we will be halfway through a season when it comes to the position in the league table,” he said. “What you do try to focus on a lot is 'Can we make the players really fit, can we make them work really hard and can we implement the playing style in the best possible way from the start?' You never know what the other teams are going to do.”