Liverpool manager Arne Slot has praised fourth tier side Accrington Stanley for challenging the Premier League leaders despite a 4-0 defeat in Saturday’s FA Cup third round clash.
Accrington, with just over 21 per cent of possession, tried hard to contain Liverpool but were licking their wounds as their home attack failed after early attempts.
“They’re not afraid to press high, they’re not afraid to play one-on-one, but you wonder if they’ll do that at Anfield? But they definitely did it. They weren’t afraid,” Slot said at the post-match press conference.
The Dutchman made eight changes to Liverpool’s starting lineup during Wednesday’s 1-0 League Cup semi-final first leg defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.
READ ALSO | Liverpool routed Accrington Stanley 4-0 in the third round
“We were mainly interested in players who hadn’t played much yet, to give them time to play,” he said.
The coach also gave a debut to 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha, who became the youngest Liverpool player to start a competitive match or play in the FA Cup for the club.
Rio Ngumoha from Liverpool in action with Josh Woods and Ashley Hunter from Accrington Stanley. | Photo source: REUTERS
Rio Ngumoha from Liverpool in action with Josh Woods and Ashley Hunter from Accrington Stanley. | Photo source: REUTERS
“Every time (Ngumoha) comes to train with us, we see what qualities he has. He can dominate in one-on-one situations, he’s very quick, he can change direction very quickly,” Slot said.
“The fans liked what they saw, you could feel it in the stadium… a special day for him, debut, victory. He will sleep well tonight.
Accrington coach John Doolan said he enjoyed the first 20 minutes of the match but wished his team had been a bit lucky. “We’ll lick our wounds and go again. I couldn’t be more proud of the players, fans and staff,” Doolan told the BBC. “It was a huge event and a big request from us. When you give world-class players two yards, they can do what they do.
Accrington, 19th in League Two, are five points clear of the relegation zone. Liverpool will face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Tuesday.
