Liverpool manager Arne Slot hailed his side’s resilience after their dramatic 3-2 win over Newcastle United on Monday, describing the performance as a display of the mental strength required to secure results in tough environments.
The game was played against the backdrop of speculation surrounding Newcastle striker Alexander Isak, who has reportedly been the subject of a £110 million ($148.6 million) bid from Liverpool. Despite the off-field distraction, the Premier League champions endured a tense night at St James’ Park.
Liverpool let a two-goal advantage slip against a 10-man Newcastle side following Anthony Gordon’s first-half dismissal, but 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha sealed the victory with a 100th-minute strike.
“Winning away at Newcastle demands more than just footballing ability, especially in an atmosphere like this,” Slot told reporters. “Today, apart from the last goal, we didn’t show much of the quality I see every day in training. But what we did show was the mentality to fight in a very hostile stadium. That is just as important if you want to compete at the highest level.
“Winning is one thing, but even to compete at this level, you need that kind of mentality and that’s exactly what my players demonstrated tonight.”
