´We need to be much better than we were´ – Slot warns players ahead of Newcastle test

Arne Slot has challenged his side to be “much better than we were”, as Liverpool take on Newcastle at St James’ Park on Monday following their opening day win over Bournemouth.

New signing Hugo Ekitike was on the scoresheet as Arne Slot’s Reds knocked four past Bournemouth to get their title defence off to a perfect start, with the reigning champions looking to begin their campaign with back-to-back victories.

Liverpool, who have made seven summer acquisitions, including record signing Florian Wirtz, head to St James’ Park having ignited the Alexander Isak transfer saga following a reported £110m bid.

Monday’s game, the Magpies’ first Premier League home match of the campaign, is set to be a raucous occasion with no love lost between the two clubs this summer.

MATCHDAY

The Reds travel to St. James’ Park to take on Newcastle United #NEWLIV pic.twitter.com/g6iZjZv2vM

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 25, 2025

Ahead of the eagerly anticipated showdown between last season’s EFL Cup finalists, Arne Slot was quizzed about Liverpool’s pursuit of Isak: “He scored against us in the League Cup final, and he scored against us in the away game [last season].

“So yeah, if they have him, he’s a big, big, big threat, but like any other team in the Premier League, if one is injured or not there, it’s not like the manager has to look at his bench and say, ‘now I have no one to play anymore’.

Commenting on the fierce atmosphere that awaits his side, Slot said: The atmosphere was amazing last year [at St James’ Park], and the intensity levels of their players were amazing, and there were no talks then. They fully deserved to win the League Cup final from us.

“What I do know is that we need to be much better than we were. In the end of the season, it was harder and harder for us to win our game. I think we had to rely a few times on our set-pieces back then as well.”