“This Week Was Crucial!” – The Importance of Liverpool’s Victory Over Everton Can’t be Underestimated | OneFootball

Liverpool, Arne Slot and the Premier League: Reality, Rivalries and Reds Resilience

Liverpool’s run-in to the Premier League title remains finely balanced, and as Jay Reid and Jim Boardman explored in the latest Anfield Index podcast, there’s more than just points on the table. From the cultural resonance of Anfield to the operational chaos looming over Everton’s new stadium, the two contributors offered rich, unfiltered insights — all while framing Arne Slot’s influence in this evolving narrative.

Slot’s Steady Hand and a Versatile Curtis Jones

Liverpool manager Arne Slot didn’t escape discussion, particularly in relation to Curtis Jones’ recent deployment at right-back in the Merseyside derby. Reid pointed out that Slot praised Jones’ “mentality that if you give him a challenge he likes to be challenged.” In the Derby, which wasn’t his normal position, Jones embraced it. “Some players hate your challenge… Curtis is the type of player that wants to be challenged,” Slot had reportedly said.

Slot’s appreciation of Jones wasn’t merely tactical — it was about character. “Tell him he’s playing against the best English midfielder under 21 or something like this, I want to see how you do against that – he’s up for the challenge,” Slot noted. It’s these kinds of challenges that define not just players but squads.

Goodison’s Goodbye: Everton’s Gamble

Much of the podcast dwelled on Everton’s soon-to-be-abandoned Goodison Park and their move to a waterfront stadium. Boardman was unsparing: “There’s nothing that screams out football sort of culture about it… it’s just an architect… ‘Let’s have a look at stadium number 64 in the slideshow.’” He lamented the lack of infrastructure: “There’s only one way into that stadium… it’s not like Anfield where you can come from all four corners.”

Photo: IMAGO

Jay Reid highlighted logistical headaches: “You’re not allowing people to park within a mile and a half of the ground, you’ve got to allow better public resources in terms of transport.” Boardman was scathing in comparison: “It will just become very much like what Tottenham’s become, what West Ham has become… they’re all lovely shiny flashy mediums but they’re not grounds. They’re not synonymous to a club.”

The two weren’t optimistic about Everton’s future either. Reid noted, “They’re definitely losing something by not being at Goodison… they obviously need to change ground but I just don’t know… some of these modern stadiums just don’t feel right, do they?”

Anfield: Tradition Over Flash

Contrast was constant throughout. Anfield was described as more than just a stadium. “It’s special when it has to be special,” Reid said, even as he acknowledged that it’s “not special every single week.” Boardman elaborated: “It’s a football stadium at heart… the fans are three or four yards away from the pitch, they’re right on top of you. The noise reverberates around.”

Photo: IMAGO

Hospitality culture was also discussed. Boardman admitted, “The club are very incentivised by hospitality… they want to get as many new faces through the door in the hope that they’ll spend money in the club shop.” However, Reid countered with the value of tradition: “We’ll buy a pie in the pub, not in the stand.”

They both agreed that Anfield remains Liverpool’s heartbeat. As Reid put it, “That ground is synonymous with us.”

Premier League Pressure and Liverpool’s Title Path

Turning to the league itself, both were realistic yet hopeful. “We need 13 points, don’t we? If we get 13 points, we’ve won the league regardless of what anyone else does,” Boardman stated. Reid added, “If we beat Fulham away… West Ham at home we would also just fancy ourselves in that… Tottenham are not the greatest.”

It’s not blind optimism — it’s a grounded belief in Liverpool’s resilience and Slot’s leadership. “This week was crucial,” Reid said. “We had to get back on track with the Derby… by however means possible, we just had to win and we did.”

The pod wrapped with mutual appreciation for Curtis Jones again. “He is currently the scouser in the squad,” Boardman said. His versatility, in Reid’s words, “is so important.”