A lot has happened between the clubs since Arne Slot and Eddie Howe exchanged pleasantries over messages in the aftermath of Newcastle’s Carabao Cup victory against the Reds at Wembley
Arne Slot has only shared texts with one fellow Premier League manager and that’s Eddie Howe. He respects his rival so much he has backed him to one day become England head coach.
But whether or not the Newcastle boss would be so receptive to messages at the moment from his Liverpool counterpart may be discovered on Monday evening when they meet at St James’ Park.
A lot has happened between the clubs since Slot and Howe exchanged pleasantries over messages in the aftermath of Newcastle’s Carabao Cup victory against the Reds at Wembley.
Most obviously Liverpool’s pursuit of Alexander Isak, the Magpies front man who has gone on strike to force a move to Anfield. “I don’t know,” Slot said when asked if this summer’s events have damaged relations between the clubs.
“The only manager I’ve ever texted with was Eddie Howe (in the Premier League ). In Holland I texted with a few more, but after the League Cup final we did exchange a few messages.
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“If I see him I will be the same as I was last year, and I expect nothing different from him as well. On a higher level, I have no clue. For me it’s still the same relationship with him.”
Liverpool will arrive in the North East on Monday night as mighty villains. But they’ll face a Newcastle side weakened by Isak’s absence and a summer where they’ve failed – so far at least – to sign their top targets with the exception of Anthony Elanga, Jacob Ramsey, Malick Thiaw and Aaron Ramsdale.
It is in attack where they are light given Isak’s strike and the failure to sign numerous forward targets, including Hugo Ekitike who will line up for Liverpool.
Slot and Howe have a mutual connection in Richard Hughes, Liverpool’s sporting director who played with the Newcastle manager at Portsmouth before working together at Bournemouth, and he cites that as the reason they’ve connected.
“In general I have sympathy for Eddie Howe because he is a great human being, he’s always polite, so that is my general feeling about him,” said the Liverpool boss.
“It’s maybe not a coincidence that I’ve texted with him because I think he’s a very nice and honest, polite colleague. For the rest, I don’t need to have sympathy for a manager that can still have the availability of [Anthony] Gordon, [Jacob] Murphy, Elanga, [Harvey] Barnes.
“They didn’t replace [Callum] Wilson did they? You don’t need to have sympathy for a manager who has so many good players in his squad. But in general, I think I like him and I don’t think it will be a surprise to anyone if eventually he is going to lead the national team of England as well. Good human being and a very good manager.”
Liverpool go to St James’ Park for what should be an almost feral atmosphere with a fan base angered that their star man is being lured away by the Premier League champions.
“If that is even possible,” said Slot when asked if the atmosphere will be more hostile. “Because it was very intense the last time we played there as well. It’s actually always that way when Newcastle play a home game, let alone an evening game.
“It’s always so, so, so intense. So I don’t know if that is an extra reason for them. I don’t even know if it is what the players and the manager are thinking as well.
“Of course, social media and people write a lot, but is this truly what the players are thinking and the manager is thinking? I don’t know. I have no clue.”
The feeling is that once this game is out of the way Liverpool may move again for Isak after one failed bid of £110m. Slot wants another attacker brought in after selling Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz along with the tragic loss of Diogo Jota.
But he insists, after the signings of Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, he has enough in attack that if they don’t sign a forward it won’t be a gamble. “That’s the answer, yeah,” was Slot’s response when asked to confirm he’s happy with his squad as it is.
Yet you still get the feeling that tonight will be another chapter of the Isak to Liverpool story as well as a crunch Premier League fixture.
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