Arne Slot admits Anfield may be losing its fear factor after Liverpool draw
By Carl Markham, Press Association
Arne Slot admitted Anfield may be losing its fear factor for opposing teams after Liverpool had to come from behind to draw 1-1 with Sunderland.
Chemsdine Talbi’s 67th-minute goal threatened to shock the defending Premier League champions until Florian Wirtz danced through the defence and saw his shot go in off Nordi Mukiele.
Even then the visitors could have snatched a rare win had Wilson Isidor’s one-man counter-attack not been denied by Federico Chiesa’s goal-line clearance.
“It is clear that teams who play us think they can get a result,” said head coach Slot, whose side narrowly avoided a 10th defeat in 14 matches.
“In the second half there was only one team that had the ball, but if they had one free-kick they could bring it to our half with a long ball, that is a danger with them.
“They have shown they are a threat with set-pieces. The good thing is we didn’t concede from a set-piece.”
Nevertheless, a draw felt like two points dropped after Sunday’s morale-boosting win at West Ham.
“I was hoping for more but I knew how difficult it was,” Slot added. “A deflection led to us going 1-0 down and in recent games we have found it really hard to get an equaliser, but we have had a bit of luck.
“In the final minutes of the game we were close to making it 2-1 because we had a few set-pieces but then I look up and I saw the player of them (Isidor) completely free on the halfway line.
“The good thing is Fede could have thought it is nothing to do with me, but he kept sprinting and the draw was the minimum he deserved and we did.”
Despite missing the chance to snatch their first league win at Anfield since 1983, Black Cats boss Regis Le Bris was satisfied with the result.
“We started well. Probably we didn’t believe enough that it was possible to score but then we did at the start of the second half,” he said.
“We had this opportunity to score the second goal but a good result for both teams.”
Asked if the dressing room was disappointed, Le Bris added: “I don’t think so. They were proud the way they played.”
