The third round of the 2025/26 Premier League season will feature a thrilling clash as Liverpool host Arsenal at Anfield. Coach Slaughter acknowledged the team's new player, Ekiti, for making a significant impact offensively, but also expressed hope that the striker would perform more effectively to adapt to the higher-intensity pace of play.

When asked about the areas where the team still needs improvement, Liverpool manager Slaughter said: "The answer is of course a lot. We are facing an extremely strong team. Arsenal was already very good last season, and I think their signings this summer have greatly improved the squad. If you look at their overall quality, one thing stands out. For us, it is a negative. If you include the previous game against Athletic Bilbao, we have conceded four set pieces. Everyone knows that this is one of Arsenal's strengths."

"Arteta has led the team very well. They have been working together for five years and can play almost all tactical styles, which shows that their management is very good, and set pieces are one of their strengths. We conceded two set pieces against Newcastle and two against Athletic Bilbao, which is an area that needs improvement. However, we performed very well in this area last season, so there is no need to panic."

I believe Liverpool's condition will get better

Slote pointed out: "At the beginning of the season, teams usually don't go straight into their best form, unless you keep exactly the same lineup and bring in a few extra players, then the team might be able to improve directly. If you look at our situation, there have been players leaving this summer and new players joining, so it's not like we're starting from scratch. But I think we'll be playing better in a few weeks than we are now."

In addition, Liverpool defeated Newcastle 3-2 in the last round of the Premier League thanks to goals from Gravenberch, Ekitik and Ngumoha. Currently, Liverpool is in third place in the standings with 6 points.

Sloter said, "I think Ekitik has had a huge impact on our offense, not just in scoring goals, but he has also participated in a lot of the organization process, often being the one who initiates the offense or participating in the starting point of the offense. This is a little different from last season, although Diaz also often participated in the organization when he was in this position before."

"As for what needs to be improved, the simplest answer is match fitness. I hope he can do more without the ball. Although he has worked hard, there is still room for improvement. This is normal because he needs to adapt to a different league and style. Frankfurt also presses, but not as much as we try."

Slote also said, "Coming to a different country and participating in a different league requires a lot of adaptation. After the international match day, we will face the Champions League. He was used to playing in the Europa League before, and the level was high but not as good as the Champions League. So this is his main area of improvement. Because he joined the pre-season training camp relatively late, this is a step he needs to take."