Arsenal Vs Liverpool: Slot Defends 'Dull And Boring' Reds, Says He Prefers 'Different Words' For Defending Champions

Arne Slot said it was "hard to hear" Liverpool supporters calling his team "dull and boring", but revealed he did not completely disagree with their assessment. 

After a slump between September and November which saw Liverpool lose six out of seven Premier League games, Slot has steadied the ship somewhat at Anfield. 

The Reds are now unbeaten in their last nine games across all competitions, though four of those results have been draws, two of which came against Leeds United. 

Liverpool also endured stalemates with Sunderland and most recently Fulham in that run, with Slot's men now fourth in the table but 14 points adrift of leaders Arsenal. 

And Emirates Stadium is the venue for their next Premier League clash, with Mikel Arteta's side looking to avenge their 1-0 defeat earlier in the season. 

"I find it really hard to hear (those words) but it's not that I completely disagree," Slot said when asked if he felt his team were dull and boring. 

"I would use different words, take certain things into account.

"I want to win as many trophies as I can, but I think I'm also known for the fact that my teams always try to play attacking football and can only say that we are trying to do so.

"We are struggling to create a lot of chances. But as I've said many times, we are not the only team that struggles to create a lot of chances.

"I don't think the number we create is that different to some other teams that are doing really well in the league."

Liverpool's style has been questioned, particularly in the final third, with Slot's side creating 53 'big chances', as defined by Opta, which is the joint-seventh highest in the division so far this season, level with Newcastle United. 

Slot's team have also scored just 32 goals, the joint-fifth highest in the division alongside Brentford, while also performing to their season expected goals (xG) total (31.9). 

Manchester City and Arsenal lead the way with 65 total big chances (44 goals) and 62 (40 goals) respectively.

"I don't like to hear this, of course," he said. "One thing I'd like is us winning a lot of games but also us playing an attractive style of football, which we have also done this season.

"We have to find a way against teams [who play] not in an attractive way, which is maybe even smart for them to do.

"We have to find answers to that, and we haven't found enough yet, but we are working every single day to improve that."

A player who has tried his best to improve Liverpool in attack is summer signing Hugo Ekitike, who has netted eight times in the Premier League so far in 2025-26. 

However, the Frenchman was absent from Liverpool's draw at Craven Cottage with a muscle injury, and he has not trained ahead of the Reds' trip to north London. 

"He hasn't trained with us up until now," Slot said in his pre-match news conference. "Let's see if he can train with us today.

"Two or three days ago, when we played against Fulham, I said he wouldn't be out for long, but it's hard because the games come so fast.

"He is in between maybe training with the team or it's maybe taking him one or two days extra."