Slot spoke to reporters at the AXA Training Centre on Friday morning to preview the fourth meeting between the clubs this season (Saturday, 3pm BST).
Having provided an injury update and confirmed Hugo Ekitike underwent successful surgeryread on for some more topics from the briefing.
On being in a good position to secure Champions League qualification for next season…
That is what results recently have done to us. I think in the last eight games we’ve picked up 16 points, and it doesn’t always feel like that because in between we had to play Paris Saint-Germain, Man City. But our recent league form is acceptable.
On his faith in Freddie Woodman if Alisson Becker is unable to play against Palace…
For a reason, we’ve signed an experienced third goalkeeper. Usually you don’t need him that much but there could be situations if one is injured and the other one gets a suspension – that usually makes more sense than expecting two goalkeepers to be injured. Then it’s needed to have a third goalkeeper with experience and that’s why we were happy that we could pick him up on a free transfer this summer, apart from him being a good goalkeeper – which he’s shown.
I think when he was young he won the Euros with the U17s and I think with the U20s he won the World Cup. Then he made himself a career at Newcastle, at Preston North End and has the experience to play even at Premier League but definitely at Championship level. And apart from that, he’s a very good man and he’s very liked in the dressing room, and I think that’s also a role that’s important for the third goalkeeper if he’s not playing. If he’s playing, it’s more important that he has a good performance than that his teammates like him. And that’s why I think he’s ready for it, but it will always be helpful if the fans are there to support him tomorrow.
On what makes Palace such a ‘difficult’ opponent…
As always, what makes it difficult are the players you face. I think they have a good team. They already had a good team two or three years ago. From that team, (Marc) Guehi is now at (Manchester) City, (Eberechi) Eze, (Michael) Olise, who’s at Bayern Munich (and) making a career for himself now. And, of course, they have a very good manager, who’s able to bring a lot of discipline in that team and it is really, really, really hard to create chances against them.
I’ve watched, with my staff, quite a lot of games – as we always do – of these teams but probably now a bit more to find ways of creating chances against them. It doesn’t matter which game but you’re watching 60 minutes of football and you haven’t seen the other team creating a chance yet against them. And then on the other end they are very direct in their playing style with good attackers going quite fast in behind your last line. So, I think they have conceded, after Arsenal, the least goals, so that tells you a lot and there’s a reason for that because they hardly concede a chance.
