Slot cites mental strength as Liverpool go 13 clear

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has praised his team's mentality after they moved 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United on Wednesday.

Dominik Szoboszlai opened the scoring for the hosts inside 11 minutes at Anfield before Alexis Mac Allister added another to make sure of the victory in the second half.

A 0-0 draw for second-place Arsenal away to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night means Liverpool are now edging ever closer to the Premier League title, but Slot is confident that his players are showing no signs of complacency.

"I think what impressed me most was the mental strength in both games [against Newcastle and Manchester City] because after Everton and Wolves people start to question us a bit," Slot said after the match.

"But if you get a lot of compliments eight out of 10 people get a bit complacent. Only the ones who want to achieve something don't. And that mentality of these two against 10 we saw tonight.

"They just found an extra gear to work even harder. We weren't perfect. I think we lost more simple balls than we usually do, but the mentality was great again."

Asked how close he feels his team are to winning the Premier League, Slot said: "I don't know because I don't think that way. I think about Paris Saint-Germain [in the Champions League] already.

"I watched them against City, and I am impressed by the quality they have. I think they are on a similar run as we are.

"They've hardly lost a game for a long time. They're doing really well so my focus is on PSG. I forget the Premier League table for now until we play Southampton."