Ian Wright has come up with an interesting theory regarding the nature of Arne Slot’s celebrations during Liverpool’s draw against Arsenal.
The Reds twice came from behind to leave the Emirates with a point in a key clash between two Premier League title rivals.
Virgil van Dijk scored a header from a corner in the first half to cancel out Bukayo Saka’s opener. In the second half, meanwhile, Mohamed Salah struck late after Mikel Merino had restored Arsenal’s lead.
The result leaves Liverpool second in the table, four points ahead of Arsenal and just one adrift of defending champions Manchester City.
Despite beating an impressive Chelsea side 2-1 at Anfield a week earlier, the trip to North London was viewed by many as the first definitive test of what Liverpool are made of under Arne Slot.
While they certainly weren’t vintage, Liverpool showed their battling qualities.
As for Slot himself, he was far more animated on the sidelines than we’ve seen so far, in direct contrast to the calm and collected figure he’s shown himself to be until this point.
Title talk getting to Arne Slot?
Arne Slot was far more animated than usual against Arsenal. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Slot’s celebrations were particularly extravagant for Salah’s 81st-minute equaliser and former Arsenal striker Wright believes this is a result of talk regarding the size of the fixture ‘feeding into his brain’.
“Did you see how his energy changed? With, the celebration on the line. I was quite pleased to see that,” Wright said (via TBR).
“What I realised about the way he’s celebrated, especially the Salah goal, was he’s been very cool and calm up to this point, and people talking about, yeah, well, we’ll see when they get to Arsenal, we’ll see their credentials when they get to Arsenal.
“And that talk seems to have been like feeding into his brain because like, he was pumped celebrating on the line.”