Liverpool manager Arne Slot says it is “not that difficult to plan” against Unai Emery’s Aston Villa as the Spaniard “has played a similar style for years”.

The reds welcome Villa to Anfield on Saturday night after beating Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 in the Champions League in midweek.

In a post-match press conference on Friday morning, Liverpool Boss Slot said Emery’s tactical style had not changed “for years” but he could spring a surprise just as Xabi Alonso did on Tuesday.

“If you ask me now, I would say it’s not that difficult to plan,” said the Dutchman. “Emery has played a similar style for years.

“It’s almost always the same formation, but sometimes it depends on the player. His style of play, his idea of ​​football, has always been the same.

“That said, that was always the situation with Xabi Alonso, and he gave the surprise by playing (Víctor) Boniface as a left winger.

“Maybe it was a compliment if the coaches think they need to change their game plan because we are a good team.

“I don’t expect Emery to change his game plan, but in terms of personnel, he could, but it has always been a 4-4-2 that he has been playing for many years.”

Slot revealed that Diogo Jota will not be present and did not reveal the nature of his injury.

“We hope he returns after the international break. The first weeks after the international break we expect him back.

“There is privacy about the nature of the injury, but as I said, he will return a week or two after the international break.”

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Liverpool lead the Premier League with just one defeat in their first 10 games.

They also have a 100 percent win rate in the Champions League this season. Asked if he was surprised by the Reds’ start, Slot said: “Surprise is not the right word. He knew the quality of our team. However, quality is one thing and consistency is the second.

“This doesn’t surprise me because I see the work we do every day.

“You can be consistent if you try hard, and sometimes a little luck comes along too.

“Most of our results were deserved, but some were close, so you have a bit of luck too, but overall it doesn’t surprise me, because I saw the quality of the team and the effort.”

Slot continued: “I don’t try to manage expectations with the squad because we don’t talk about them.

“The only expectation I have is that they make the same effort that they have been making until now. That is the only expectation there is, that they work every day as hard as they can.

“With that normally also come the results, but I don’t ask them to win every game. I hope so, but I ask you to work daily.

“I feel and think that what the outside world talks about is not always what comes on the training pitch.

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“We are there to do our job and become better players day by day. We’re just here to do our job. It is not the first time that this club is where it is at the moment.

“For most of these players it is a normal situation and I don’t think they will get carried away with being at the top of the league at the moment because they know how small the margins are.

“If the end result of them (the fans) being excited is that they can create the atmosphere against Brighton and Leverkusen, I hope they stay excited for as long as possible.”

Slot was also asked about Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, They are all out of contract next summer.

“It would be strange if I didn’t have any input, although I’m a head coach now and that’s convenient.” said.

“I think in contractual situations in general you talk about people who should talk about it, and I’m one of them, but not in public.”