Slot says Postecoglou’s ‘great work’ has restored Spurs' identity

“If I look at Tottenham and I come from Holland, but I did watch a lot of Match of the Day, I think about [David] Ginola, Paul Gascoigne, Glenn Hoddle, and more recently [Luka] Modric, Rafael van der Vaart and Gareth Bale,” the Liverpool head coach said.

“They’ve always been a certain brand of football for me and have a certain identity. I think Ange Postecoglou gives them that identity back completely. Ange is doing great work over there. I hope this is seen a bit more. I also hope, hope, hope that he wins a trophy – not the League Cup.

“I’m completely a fan of his team for the Europa League because people always talk about trophies and that it’s so important. For his brand of football and his style, it is so much more important and if he can combine that with winning something that would be so good for football in general because people can stop talking about it’s too attacking or whatever. How on earth can you play too [much] attacking football?”

Slot believes Spurs were unfortunate not to beat United by a bigger margin in their quarter-final and questioned how Postecoglou can be considered under pressure at a club that is not synonymous with silverware. “I don’t think there are many season-ticket holders in the country that can say they watch so many great games. Maybe the ones at Liverpool!” said Slot.

“I think it is a privilege to be a season ticket holder at Tottenham at the moment because they play such a great style and it’s not like since Ange arrived they don’t win anything any more. Before that they were not a club that won many things, but they always won the sympathy of the fans in Europe, maybe also in England as well, I don’t know, because of the style of play they had. That is something you cannot underestimate.

“If I think about Spurs, I think about the shirt, the playing style and their identity and certain players. For me, he brought that back completely. I’ve said so many positive things about Ange now that if I say another thing it will seem like I’m his agent!”

In terms of fitness, Slot said only defenders Ibrahima Konate (knee) and Conor Bradley (hamstring) remain sidelined as they prepare for the start of the busy festive period with Sunday's trip to north London.

"These are the two that don't train. It is quite difficult because I thought Conor would have been back already so let's wait and see," he added.

Liverpool's run over the Christmas and New Year period is not excessively taxing with an 8pm St Stephen's Day kick-off at home to Leicester followed by a trip to West Ham three days later, with a week's break before the visit of Manchester United.

"We put a lot of effort in pre-season and made the decision to give them quite a lot of days off and I still think we find the benefits," said Slot of how they were managing the fitness of players.

"In Holland some of the clubs only gave them seven or eight days off and they got injured.

"I have to make compliments for the performance staff. I think it is only two injuries left and a few are coming back, we only miss two on the training ground."

Guardian