Arne Slot addresses familiar Jurgen Klopp complaint ahead of Liverpool trip to Brighton

Liverpool will play in the early kick-off slot this weekend as it takes on Brighton in the Premier League, just three days after facing Galatasaray in a big European game

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot during a press conference.(Image: Alex Pantling - UEFA via Getty Images)

Jurgen Klopp was never a fan of Liverpool being put in the early kick-off slot by the Premier League, but ahead of a 12.30pm (UK time) start against Brighton, Arne Slot has insisted he isn't against them.

The Reds boss, though, would prefer to have had a longer turnaround after playing on Wednesday. As it happened, Liverpool didn't need extra time to progress against Galatasaray, but could have required an additional 30 minutes and then penalties.

"This isn’t a complaint; it is just realistic," Slot said in his pre-match press conference. "All the teams that played on Tuesday or Wednesday are playing on Sunday.

"And we are the lucky ones who play at 12:30pm on Saturday against one of the most intense teams in the Premier League.

"But we will be ready for it. I don’t mind playing at 12:30pm at all. We train at that time. If we couldn't perform at that time, then it would be stupid to train then. I do mind playing on Sunday evening.

"I think it was 6:15pm when we finished against Tottenham, then we play Wednesday evening vs Galatasaray.

"That could have gone to extra time and then putting that team into a 12:30pm kick off, for the sixth time this season, would not be preferred."

Arne Slot during his Liverpool press conference before Brighton.(Image: Liverpool FC // YouTube)

Klopp regularly railed against being in the early kick-off slot and the Premier League rules did change during his tenure. If teams play away in Europe on a Wednesday, they can no longer be put in as the early game on the following Saturday.

However, as Liverpool was at Anfield this midweek, Slot's men could be placed at 12.30pm at the weekend, even though it has to travel to the south coast to take on Brighton.

Slot was also asked about his contract situation, with his current Liverpool deal set to expire at the end of next season as things stand.

"Is this how football works? We win one and now we are talking about a new contract?" Slot said with a smile when asked about it.

"We didn't win just one time, by the way, even though people try to generate that feeling. We won more than everyone thinks in the last one or two months.

"But you surprise me with this question, because my focus is completely on Brighton and three days ago, it was more on how can be get something positive from this season.

"Now we have reached the [Champions League] quarter-final, we have to make the next step in the league because we don't have the greatest position in the league as well.

"It is going to be a fight until the end of the season, and my focus is completely on that. We don't talk about contracts of players here, so it would be a surprise if we talked about contracts of managers."