Arne Slot hit back at critics following his first defeat as Liverpool head coach but is relishing his first Champions League game in charge of the Reds against Milan.
After starting his Liverpool tenure with three wins from three, Slot's side were beaten 1-0 by Nottingham Forest last weekend upon their return from the international break.
It marked the Dutchman's first loss since replacing Jurgen Klopp, with Forest securing their first triumph at Anfield since 1969.
Slot named an unchanged team for the fourth consecutive game since taking over at Liverpool against Forest, with many questioning his decision to do so.
But speaking ahead of their encounter at the San Siro on Tuesday, Slot doubled down on his selection policy during his early tenure on Merseyside.
"If rotation would be the reason why you didn't win a game, then last Saturday probably wouldn't be the first game I lost in 2024," Slot said.
"It's too simple to put this loss on rotation, I think it was because too many players didn't reach their normal level. The playing style of the opponent made it really difficult.
"When you don't win, you try and look at as many possible reasons why, but I preferred to look back at what we did well and what we didn't do well.
"We could have done a lot better in things that were not related to rotation, but again it's not possible to say what would have happened if I did rotate.
"Now I can do something about rotation in the upcoming games but before the weekend they were with the national team.
"For me this loss didn't have anything to do with rotation, it was the opponent and too many players not bringing what they can bring."
Slot takes charges of his first game in the Champions League as Liverpool boss, but has struggled in the competition away from home.
The Dutchman has lost all three of his away games in the tournament, with each of those coming in the group stage with Feyenoord last season.
However, Slot's former side did have the second-best shot differential away from home in last season’s group stage (+19 – 48 for and 29 against), while only Man City (24) faced fewer shots on the road.
The fixture will also come on Slot's 46th birthday, with the Liverpool head coach hopeful of getting the perfect present from his players.
"I think it is the first time that my birthday is not so important tomorrow!', Slot said.
"It's a big game also for me, but it's a big game for us too because it's the first game [of the Champions League] and it's the next game and the next game is always the most important one, as you know.
"But because of the history that these two teams have and the venue where it's played in - it's one to look forward to."
Slot was also able to provide an update on Federico Chiesa, who is yet to feature since his switch from Juventus in the transfer window.
Chiesa offers Slot an experienced option against the Serie A side, having notched seven goal involvements (three goals and four assists) in the 13 games he has played against Milan.
But the Dutchman confirmed that any involvement for the Italy international will likely be from the bench.
"He is, for the first time, in our team selection," Slot said.
"And since I said it's the first time he's in our team selection it would be a big surprise for him and for everyone if he would start tomorrow.
"I don’t think you should expect that he starts but he can make a few minutes for the first time tomorrow if we need him. That is something we will see tomorrow.
"For the first time with us and don’t expect him to be there in the starting line-up because he has been with Juve training on his own for a long time.
"It is too early for him to play 90, but hopefully he can make his first minutes in the upcoming fixtures."
Minnesota United v FC Cincinnati: Consistency the key for playoffs, says Noonan
FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan is striving for consistency from his players after confirming their place in the MLS playoffs.
Noonan’s side were held to a goalless draw against Leagues Cup champions Columbus Crew but have now gone two home games without a victory or scoring a goal.
While securing their spot in the playoffs was something Orange and Blue could have only dreamed of a few years ago, Noonan’s future ambitions for his team overshadowed any celebrations.
“It's hard to do, and we strive for consistency, and consistency for our group and our expectations is to be a playoff team and then be a top seed and be playing games at home in the playoffs,” Pat Noonan said.
“I think we go into this next game as healthy and with as many options as we have had. The goal for us needs to be to maintain that over this final stretch so that we can have consistency with our selection and with our starting 11.
“But I think if we want to have a strong end to the season and have a strong playoff run, it needs to be with players available in depth and competition in our squad. Certainly, that'll be important.”
Minnesota, meanwhile, did their chances of reaching the playoffs the world of good with an impressive 3-1 victory over in-form St. Louis City in their last MLS fixture.
The Loons overcame Cedric Teuchert’s third minute opener to remain ninth in the Western Conference table, bridging the gap between themselves and FC Dallas one place below them.
Head coach Eric Ramsay lauded his side’s display in breaking down St. Louis’ resolute defence, and detailed how his players plan to attack the final games of the season to remain in the playoff picture.
“We want to be a team that can shift between a number of shapes according to the situations we anticipate coming, according to the players that we’ve got in form and available,” Ramsay said.
“We want to be, ultimately, an aggressive team, we want to be a team that can press, can have more of the ball, can steal the ball higher up [the field].
“When you are playing in a back five, that isn’t as easy as it looks sometimes on paper.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Minnesota United – Bongokuhle Hlongwane
Hlongwane’s goal against St. Louis last time out was his 10th goal of the season for Minnesota.
In doing so, he became the fifth different Loons player to record a double-digit scoring season and the third in the last three years.
FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta
Having struggled in front of goal in their recent MLS fixtures, top scorer and captain Acosta will be key for Cincinnati at Allianz Field.
But the Argentine comes up against a side he has struggled against in his MLS career, with Minnesota one of only seven teams he is yet to score past.
MATCH PREDICTION: FC CINCINNATI WIN
Cincinnati won their last match against the Loons in May. But Minnesota were unbeaten in the first four meetings between the sides (W3 D1), outscoring Cincinnati, 10-1, in those games.
However, Cincinnati have now lost consecutive regular season away matches after losing only one of their previous 16 on the road in league play (W12 D3). This is Cincinnati’s first set of back-to-back regular season away losses since the start of the 2022 campaign.
But the Loons have struggled at Allianz Field, losing four of their last five regular-season home matches. Prior to this run, they had lost just four of their previous 27 games on home soil dating back to April 2023.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Minnesota United – 31.9%
Draw – 25.4%
FC Cincinnati – 42.7%
Emery focused on 'new mentality' in Aston Villa's Champions League debut
Unai Emery is focusing on a new mentality for his Aston Villa side as they embark on their Champions League journey against Young Boys.
Villa are making their first appearance in Europe's top competition since 1982 on Tuesday, having previously won the competition 42 years ago.
Emery's side will become the 11th different English club to compete in the Champions League, and the first English newcomer since Leicester in 2016-17.
But the Spaniard has made a name for himself on the European stage, having won the Europa League on four occasions with Sevilla and Villarreal.
However, Emery's last game in the competition came back in 2022, with his Villarreal side eliminated by Liverpool in the semi-finals of the competition.
That particular run was the Villa head coach's best run in the tournament, and he is dreaming of going one step further with the Villains.
"I had dreams when I arrived here to play in the Champions League and be competitive in this competition," Emery told TNT Sports, in an exclusive interview.
"But we are going to set our new mentality, our new objective. Because we are now not comfortable playing in the Premier League and being in the middle.
"We want to be competitive, get in Europe, and be consistent.
"But of course, being consistent and getting into Europe is very difficult in England because it is the hardest league in the world."
While reaching the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League last season, Tuesday's match against the Swiss champions will be many of the Villa squad's first taste of Champions League football.
However, Emery has strengthened his squad with European experience in recent years.
Pau Torres was part of Emery's side that reached the semi-finals in 2022, while Ian Maatsen played the duration of Borussia Dortmund's defeat to Real Madrid in last year's final.
And the Spaniard is looking to those two players in particular to help his side navigate the encounter.
"We have players with experience; Ian Maatsen played last year and he is with us now," Emery continued.
"Other players played, Pau Torres played in a semi-final three years ago. And I am playing [coaching] in Europe for 16 years in a row.
"My experiences are very important, but the better experience we are trying to use and get is with Aston Villa, with Aston Villa players, with Aston Villa supporters.
"We are always remembering how amazing it was when they won the Champions League [European Cup] in 1982, and for us, it is very important."
One of the talking points ahead of the clash is the artificial surface at the Wankdorf Stadium.
But Emery is resolute that his players will not be using that as an excuse and will adapt to what they encounter.
"We have to accept and we have to adapt to the pitches we are playing," Emery concluded.
"Of course, usually we are playing on normal pitches, here it is synthetic. But we are going to try to adapt quickly and know what the difference is with the pitch."
New York City FC v Philadelphia Union: Playoff push continues says Curtin despite Messi setback
Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin is confident his side can reach the playoffs despite their 3-1 defeat to Inter Miami last time out.
Mikael Uhre had given the Union the lead in the first minute against the Eastern Conference leaders, only for Lionel Messi to score twice on his return to MLS action as Luis Suarez confirmed the triumph in injury time.
The result leaves Philadelphia in ninth heading into the final six games of the season, three points behind D.C. United, while the Union also have a game in hand.
Curtin acknowledged his side can only have themselves to blame for the position they are currently in, but he is sure that his players are showing positive signs in their quest for the playoffs.
“We have a tough schedule. The rest of the way, it's in our hands, but if the team can regroup and perform like that, we can certainly make a push,” Curtin said.
"It's no easy task to go to New York City and win, but it's something we've done before, and it's not impossible. Then, obviously, for the two home games, we have to be at our very best and those have to be wins.
“We've put ourselves in this hole, but I agree with you, we are playing much better, and we have created a lot of opportunities. We were close tonight to taking points back to Philly, which isn't easy against this team.”
NYCFC, meanwhile, were held to a 1-1 draw with D.C. in their last encounter, extending their winless MLS run to seven matches.
Their form, however, has not affected their league position, with the Pigeons currently occupying sixth place in the Eastern Conference table.
Head coach Nick Cushing left Audi Field disappointed about getting just a point, but in hindsight, knew it was another step closer to achieving their ambitions for the season.
"The mentality of our team, the hunger and desire of our team, it definitely feels like two points dropped," said head coach Nick Cushing after the game.
"We want to win and solidify our league position, we want to continue to show improvement, like we have all year. We played really well in the first half.
“So it does feel like two points dropped but we have got to be realistic, it's difficult to come to a place like DC."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
NYCFC – Alonso Martinez
Martinez has scored two goals in each of the Pigeons’ last two home matches.
No NYCFC player has recorded three straight multi-goal games at home, while Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar in 2022 was the last player to do so in MLS.
Philadelphia Union – Mikael Uhre
Uhre scored the Union’s only goal on Saturday, his 30th career regular season goal since joining MLS in 2022.
The Union, with three players (Uhre, Daniel Gazdag – 50 and the since-departed Julian Carranza – 34), are the only team with multiple players to score 30 or more goals since the start of the 2022 season.
MATCH PREDICTION: NYCFC WIN
NYCFC ended a five-match losing streak against the Union in all competitions with a 2-1 victory in May. The Pigeons have not defeated the Union twice in a single season since winning both meetings during the 2019 campaign.
The hosts drew their last match on home soil with Chicago Fire last time out, and have not gone winless in two straight home matches in a year, since draws with the Vancouver Whitecaps and the New York Red Bulls in September 2023.
Philadelphia’s defeat to Inter Miami was the club’s fifth loss in their last six regular season away games. The Union had lost only one of their previous 11 away league matches, dating back to September 2023.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
NYCFC – 43.6%
Draw – 26.8%
Philadelphia Union – 29.6%
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
