'Different' - Arne Slot makes Newcastle United claim ahead of the Carabao Cup final v Liverpool
Eddie Howe admitted to changing tactics for Newcastle United’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot expects to see a different Newcastle United when the two clubs meet again in the Carabao Cup next month.
The Reds won the dress rehearsal 2-0 to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to 13 points. Dominik Szoboszlai opened the scoring in the 12th minute before Alexis Mac Allister doubled the advantage on the hour-mark.
Newcastle - whose last win at Anfield came 30 years ago - were without top goalscorer Alexander Isak due to a slight groin issue, which saw Callum Wilson start his first Premier League game of the season.
And Wilson’s inclusion forced Howe to deviate away from his usual set-up.
Speaking after the game, Howe said: “Yeah, without going into too many details, I think it was difficult to ask Callum to play on his own today. We wanted to try and get him support and help and also to try and be competitive in the game and to try and ask Liverpool some questions.
“Trying to play with two players up there I think certainly didn't harm us defensively and I thought it gave us a twin attack and there were some really dangerous counter-attack moments for us in the game, some really dangerous situations that we didn't make the most of.”
What Arne Slot and Eddie Howe said on Carabao Cup final
It is, however, a tactic Slot isn’t reading much into ahead of the Wembley final in 17 days’ time.
"I don't think that means so much because I saw a different Newcastle tonight than a few months ago. I don't know if that is for a reason.” Slot told TNT Sports. “Normally they press in a 4-5-1 and today they did a 4-4-2 and Isak and Joelinton were not there. We can expect something different in a few weeks."
Meanwhile, Howe added: "It is out of my mind at the moment. There are lessons to learn and I am sure there will be loads of stuff to look at when we review it properly. All focus was on today's game and trying to win."