02/09/2025

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TUESDAY | SEP 2, 2025

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Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai (centre) celebrates scoring their first goal with Milos Kerkez(right), Joe Gomez and Ryan Gravenberch (left). – REUTERSPIC

Reds not perfect perfect: Slot A RNE SLOT praised Liverpool’s mentality and matchwinner Dominik Szoboszlai after the reigning “We didn’t do our game plan to frustrate them, we did it to win it,” the manager said. Ű BY SIMON PEACH … but Liverpool boss impressed by team’s mentality in win over Arsenal

there will be moments in the season where we work just as hard and we don’t find the luck of scoring a goal. But we always give ourselves a chance because we work so hard.” Liverpool boss Slot was proud of his players efforts, with Szoboszlai naturally picked out for praise. “I don’t think he changed at all in the last few games compared to what he did last season,” he said. “He’s always been the player that I think understands what a Liverpool player should look like. “If you wear this shirt, you should give everything, no matter in what position you play. “As a midfield, he’s always the first one to track back, to press high, and today, I don’t think he did anything wrong. “Unbelievable game from him in the position he probably played only two or three times in his life, so it tells you a lot about the mentality he has.” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta hit back at the suggestion he set up his side to avoid defeat rather than seal a first League win at Anfield since 2012.

Premier League champions eked out a narrow victory against last season’s runners-up Arsenal. Anfield witnessed a forgettable clash devoid of clear-cut chances yesterday, but a moment of magic in the 83rd minute lit up the game and left jaws on the floor. Szoboszlai followed an impressive display as Liverpool’s makeshift right back with a spectacular 30-yard free kick that flew home in front of the Kop and sealed a 1-0 win. “We’re not perfect,” Reds boss Slot said. “We weren’t perfect last season, by the way. “But, still, what you can see is a great mentality, and everybody wants to work so hard to get a result over the line. “Then you need a little bit of luck, which we had in Newcastle (on Monday) and today. “I think it was Michael Jordan who said ‘the harder we work, the more luck we get’ and that is something that you can say about this team. “They work incredibly hard, and

“I think we elevated the game and the dominance to a point that they have to raise it. “They did, especially from the 60-78 (minutes), when then you could see that there were no margins in the game and then when that happens the game is going to be decided in two ways. “One, with an individual error and two, with a magic moment. So, they created a moment that was incredible, that has won the game and that was the difference. Nothing else.” Arteta was forced into an early change at Liverpool, with key defender William Saliba replaced by Cristhian Mosquera after just five minutes. “He twisted his ankle during the warm-up,” the Gunners boss said. “He came in and he said he believed that he could carry on and play but straightaway in the first two actions I could see that he couldn’t cope and we had to get him out, unfortunately, but thank God we have Mosquera.” – The Independent

First slip for Barca

- Story on page 29

Isak move done deal

PREMIER LEAGUE champions Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United for a British record transfer fee, media reports said yesterday. The Swedish forward is set to join the Reds in a deal worth about £130 million (RM754m), according to reports by The Athletic and The Telegraph , among other outlets. The Athletic reported that Isak will undergo a medical today before completing a six-year deal with the Merseyside club.

Woltemade on Saturday for a club-record fee reported to be worth up to £69 million (RM400m). Isak will become the latest blockbuster acquisition in a lavish summer spending spree by Liverpool, who also brought in German midfielder Florian Wirtz in another massive deal. The Reds have also signed French attacker Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt, Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen and Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth. – AFP

Champions League. He has been the subject of a protracted and acrimonious transfer saga this summer, training away from the rest of the Newcastle squad after making clear his desire to move to Liverpool. The deal edged closer after the Magpies signed German international striker Nick

The fee will set a new Premier League transfer record, exceeding the £106 million (RM614m) that Chelsea paid Benfica for Enzo Fernandez in 2023, the reports said. Isak, 25, scored 23 goals in the Premier League last season – behind only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah – as Newcastle qualified for the

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