We Look Forward to Securing the Title, and This is the Truth About Nunez’s Clause
Slot: We Look Forward to Securing the Title, and This is the Truth About Nunez’s Clause
The coach said: “The draw against Crystal Palace? It was different. Usually, you watch a football match either alone or with family or friends. But we all watched it together. Before the match, I would have been surprised if it ended in a draw. But during the match, I wasn’t surprised, because Crystal Palace showed once again how important this league is. They performed very well as a team, and there were also some good individual performances.”
He added: “Securing the title on Sunday? It’s a huge responsibility. We realize that the last time this club won the league was during the COVID-19 pandemic, so everyone is looking forward to Sunday’s match, but we know there is still a task ahead of us. We need at least one point to secure the title; that’s what we know, and we hope our fans know it too when they come to the stadium. They support us in the best way possible as they have throughout the season, but they also realize that we still need one point. It’s a fantastic match we are looking forward to, but it’s also a responsibility we have for Sunday.”
Regarding the match against Tottenham: “There is a match to be played against Tottenham, who are playing for something special – not in the league but in the European league, and they will want to prepare for it in the best way possible. We are only focusing on the next opponent as always, which is Tottenham now. So we will try to prepare the team as we have done throughout the season. We hope the players show the same energy and mentality they have shown all season.
He added: “I know how difficult it is to win against a team like [Leicester City] that was on the brink of relegation. It was hard to win. I’m not exaggerating my enthusiasm at all; we faced Tottenham three times, and I know how difficult it is to win against them. That’s my main focus. What to expect from Tottenham? You are always surprised by any coach’s game plan. At the end of the season, every team has played many matches, and it would be strange to completely change their style of play. This may happen more during the season.”
He emphasized: “Tottenham knows our style of play, and we know theirs. But you can always adjust some details. However, the overall picture is clear to me and to Ange Postecoglou about what to expect.”
Continuing, “Did you expect to win the league when you arrived? I have said repeatedly that when you come, you only look at how things are going around you, and then you work with your players to create a style of play, which we knew in advance we wouldn’t change much. But when the players return from their vacations, you have to alert them a bit to what is expected of them here. Then, when you walk through those doors here or at Anfield, you know this club must win trophies. That hasn’t changed since I walked through that door. The good thing is that most coaches work here for long periods, so you have many opportunities to win something. You realize that, but that’s not the first thing you think about when you walk through that door.”
Regarding the discussion that the Premier League has not been competitive this season, he responded: “Everyone has their opinion. In the parts of the world we live in, when you have an opinion, you can share it with everyone. That’s a very positive thing. I have only spent one year here. I think the competition for the top four or five spots hasn’t been this exciting before. In all previous years, it was very clear which clubs would occupy the top three or four spots. In my opinion, it’s a very tough league. From my experience, there have never been easy matches.”
He continued: “We are not the only team in this league that finds it difficult to win by three or four goals. That may have been easier three or four years ago, either because teams are not as strong anymore – Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal – or we are still very good, but other teams have the financial ability to spend similar amounts, or even more in some cases.”
On the readiness of Conor Bradley: “He is getting closer and closer to playing 90 minutes, but it depends on the next two training sessions. It’s normal to play twice for 70 minutes and get closer to the opportunity to play 90 minutes. We are taking good care of him because he has had two similar injuries. Let’s wait and see how he plays today and tomorrow, and see if he is able to play, and if so, whether he can play a full 90 minutes.”
He continued: “It will be very important for him to become a better player than he is now to participate in many consecutive matches. Unfortunately for him, there is another full-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is world-class at this club. That may be the only reason he hasn’t played in two consecutive matches. He definitely has the capability to do so, and I think his next step is to play every week and feel that pressure, and at some point, that pressure will disappear.”
On the possibility of Joe Gomez returning from injury this season: “If his recovery goes well, he may be able to participate in the last match or two of the season. He hasn’t trained with the team yet, but he is getting closer and closer to returning. He has been out for a long time, and we talked about how long it took Conor Bradley to come back; I believe he will be available in the last two matches if his recovery goes as planned.”
On the truth of the clause in Nunez’s contract affecting his selection in the lineup: “Do you always believe what journalists say? Not always? I don’t believe it either. Sometimes it’s true, but sometimes it’s better not to believe everything written about players. It’s something completely new for me; I have said repeatedly that I work at a club that I’m happy to work at. For me, it’s very important to have a great working environment, and that’s what I have with Richard, the sporting director. So, the last thing he would do is tell me that if I field Nunez, we will pay this amount (5 million euros to Benfica if he plays 50 matches as a starter in the Premier League) which he never did. I don’t know if that’s true or not because we never talk about it. He never interferes in the team selection; it might be true, but there should be balance in the lineup.
