Arne Slot has responded firmly to Mikel Arteta’s comments suggesting that Liverpool’s Premier League title win involved an element of luck. Slot, who led Liverpool to the title in his first season at Anfield, dismissed Arteta’s claims as excuses from a team that did not win the league. Despite Liverpool not making major signings last summer and Slot taking over from Jürgen Klopp, the Reds secured the championship with four games to spare, finishing at least nine points ahead of Arsenal.
Arteta had pointed out that Liverpool won the title with fewer points than Arsenal had accumulated in their previous two runner-up seasons, implying that timing played a significant role in Liverpool’s success. He suggested that winning trophies often requires being “in the right moment, in the right place,” especially in knockout competitions like the Champions League.
Slot acknowledged Arteta’s point about luck or timing being relevant in shorter tournaments but insisted that over the course of a long Premier League season, the best team usually prevails. He stated, “You can reach a final with good luck, and you can never win a league with only having a lot of luck.” Slot also noted that Liverpool benefited from Manchester City’s rare difficult period but emphasized that Liverpool contributed to that by beating City when they were struggling. He concluded that excuses such as injuries, red cards, or transfer activity are for teams that do not win the league, and Liverpool did not need to rely on such excuses to claim the title.
In summary, Arne Slot rejects the notion that luck was a decisive factor in Liverpool’s title, instead crediting consistent performance and resilience throughout the season as the key to their success.