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Slot: Liverpool Premier League Win Was One of 'Best Days of my Life'

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Liverpool - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - April 20, 2025 Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates after the match REUTERS/Phil Noble
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Liverpool - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - April 20, 2025 Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates after the match REUTERS/Phil Noble
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Slot: Liverpool Premier League Win Was One of 'Best Days of my Life'

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Liverpool - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - April 20, 2025 Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates after the match REUTERS/Phil Noble
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Liverpool - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - April 20, 2025 Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates after the match REUTERS/Phil Noble

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said Friday that winning the Premier League title at Anfield was one of the best days of his life as he turned his thoughts towards next season.

The Reds crushed Tottenham 5-1 on Sunday to seal a record-breaking 20th English league title with four games to spare, basking in a sensational atmosphere at their packed home ground.

"Maybe for all the Liverpool fans, but for many of them, one of the best days of their lives, and I think it was the same for me," AFP quoted Slot as saying.

"The way the whole day went, arriving at the stadium, how intense the fans already were, then during the game going 1-0 behind, so it even felt like, 'Oh, they're not going to give it to us, we have to work for it'.

"Scoring the goals, seeing how much it meant to the players but also to the fans, for me, was really special to be part of."

Liverpool travel to face fifth-placed Chelsea on Sunday before taking on Arsenal, Brighton and Crystal Palace in their remaining games.

"It's nice that we play some very strong teams with Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton and Palace, so that gives immediate challenge to those games," said Slot, 46.

"It's the end of the season but we also have to look at this as the start of next season already."

The Dutchman said he was surprised by the 22-point between his side and Enzo Maresca's Chelsea, whom he felt were the better team when they met in October, even though Liverpool won 2-1.

"We found a way to win, and that is a quality that we didn't need a lot, because mostly we were the better team on the pitch," he said.

"But in that game we had to suffer more than any other game, maybe. So to be so many points ahead of them is a big compliment for everyone here at this club."

The former Feyenoord boss said he would rotate in the final games of the season.

"Some of them deserve to play already earlier this season because they've trained so well," he said. "They are good enough to play for this club but I mainly chose the same players.

"And I think this is also a moment to see where they are, also looking towards next season maybe a bit already. But definitely also because they deserve to play this season."

Slot said Liverpool's Premier League triumph would be a boost in terms of recruitment.

"Winning the league, having these fans, I think this is a big attraction to every player we want to bring in, and that's definitely helpful," he said.

Captain Virgil van Dijk and top-scorer Mohamed Salah have recently signed new contracts to stay at the Liverpool but Slot said there was no update on Trent Alexander-Arnold, who continues to be linked with a move to Real Madrid in the summer transfer window.

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Sinner Seeks Australian Open ‘Three-Peat’ to Maintain Melbourne Supremacy

13 January 2026, Australia, Melbourne: Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner in action during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park. (dpa)
13 January 2026, Australia, Melbourne: Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner in action during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park. (dpa)
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Sinner Seeks Australian Open ‘Three-Peat’ to Maintain Melbourne Supremacy

13 January 2026, Australia, Melbourne: Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner in action during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park. (dpa)
13 January 2026, Australia, Melbourne: Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner in action during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park. (dpa)

Jannik Sinner returns to the Australian Open targeting a third straight title as the Italian seeks to impose a level of supremacy reminiscent of Novak Djokovic's stranglehold on the year's ​opening Grand Slam.

The 24-year-old will arrive at Melbourne Park under vastly different circumstances from 12 months ago when his successful title defense was partly overshadowed by a doping controversy which saw him serve a three-month ban.

With that storm firmly behind him, Sinner steps onto the blue courts unencumbered and with his focus sharpened after an outstanding 2025 in which he was only seriously challenged by world number ‌one Carlos ‌Alcaraz.

"I feel to be a better player ‌than ⁠last ​year," Sinner ‌said after beating Alcaraz to win the season-ending ATP Finals with his 58th match victory of a curtailed campaign.

"Honestly, amazing season. Many, many wins, and not many losses. All the losses I had, I tried to see the positive things and tried to evolve as a player.

"I felt like this happened in a very good way."

Sinner now sets his sights ⁠on a third straight Melbourne crown - a feat last achieved in the men's game during ‌the second of Djokovic's "three-peats" from 2019 to ‍2021 - and few would bet ‍against him pushing his overall major tally to five.

That pursuit continues ‍to be built on a game as relentless as it is precise, a metronomic rhythm from the baseline powered by near-robotic consistency and heavy groundstrokes that grind opponents into submission.

Although anchored in consistency and control, Sinner has worked ​to add a dash of magic - the kind of spontaneity best embodied by Alcaraz - and his pursuit will add intrigue ⁠to a rivalry that has become the defining duel of men's tennis.

"It's evolved in a positive way, especially the serving," Sinner said at the ATP Finals of his game.

"From the back of the court, it's a bit more unpredictable. I still have margins where I can play better at times.

"It's also difficult because you have to give a lot of credit to your opponent. Carlos is an incredible player. You have to push yourself over the limits."

The "Sincaraz" rivalry has already lit up most of the biggest tennis tournaments but Melbourne remains the missing piece, ‌and all signs point to that changing this year with the Australian Open set for a blockbuster title showdown.

Sports

Record Seeker Djokovic Faces ‘New Two’ Roadblock at Australian Open

13 January 2026, Australia, Melbourne: Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic in action during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park. (dpa)
13 January 2026, Australia, Melbourne: Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic in action during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park. (dpa)
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Record Seeker Djokovic Faces ‘New Two’ Roadblock at Australian Open

13 January 2026, Australia, Melbourne: Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic in action during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park. (dpa)
13 January 2026, Australia, Melbourne: Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic in action during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park. (dpa)

Novak Djokovic returns to Melbourne Park looking to roll back the apparently inexorable tide of the "Sincaraz" era and produce an Australian Open triumph that would establish ​him as the most successful Grand Slam champion of all time.

The Serbian clinched his 24th major title at the US Open in late 2023, but Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have since dominated the Grand Slams with a brand of fast-paced tennis that has blown their rivals off the court.

Djokovic, who will be 39 in May, is not impervious to the physical toll two decades on the tour has taken on his body, but only the most foolhardy observer has ever written off one of the mentally toughest players to play the game.

To move out of ‌a tie with ‌Margaret Court on 24 Grand Slam singles titles in the ‌Australian's ⁠own ​back yard, ‌though, he looks likely to need to beat one or both of the "New Two" at the business end of the tournament.

Last year, the last survivor of the "Big Three" beat Alcaraz in the quarter-finals only to retire from his semi-final against Alex Zverev with a hamstring tear.

He reached the semi-finals of all four majors in 2025, losing to Sinner in Paris and at Wimbledon, as well as Alcaraz in New York.

"I lost three out of four slams in semis against these guys, so they're just too ⁠good, playing on a really high level," he said after his loss at Flushing Meadows. "Best-of-five makes it very, very difficult for me ‌to play them. Particularly if it's like the end stages ‍of a Grand Slam."

'ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION'

Djokovic pulled ‍out of the warm-up tournament in Adelaide in January but Australian Open tournament director Craig ‍Tiley moved quickly to douse any question over the 38-year-old turning up in Melbourne.

"He'll be here to play 100%," Tiley said at the weekend.

"Just out of the abundance of caution, he just wanted to make sure he's 100% ready. He's won this event 10 times. He wants to go for that record, and this ​is the place that he has the best chance of doing it."

Indeed, Tiley said, it was highly unlikely to be Djokovic's last Australian Open either, tallying with ⁠the player's own ambition to defend his Olympic title in Los Angeles in 2028.

Djokovic's battered body might have other plans, though, and his chances of going deep will probably rely on him staying healthy into the second week at Melbourne Park.

He managed ATP titles in Geneva and Athens last year to take his tally to 101 but his best efforts at the longer Masters events were a Miami final and a semi in Shanghai.

It will be his 21st appearance in the main draw at the Australian Open, a run that started as a qualifier in 2005 when he was thumped by eventual champion Marat Safin.

Melbourne's large community of fans with Serbian heritage will ensure he has plenty of support at a tournament where he has otherwise been more admired than loved.

There is no doubting he ‌will go down as one of the tournament's great champions, however, especially as his 10 triumphs came in the "Big Three" era when Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer were also at their peak.

Sports

Rooney Open to Man United Return if Carrick Named Interim Manager

10 January 2026, United Kingdom, Macclesfield: BBC Sport pundit Wayne Rooney pictured ahead of the England FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace at the Leasing.com Stadium. (dpa)
10 January 2026, United Kingdom, Macclesfield: BBC Sport pundit Wayne Rooney pictured ahead of the England FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace at the Leasing.com Stadium. (dpa)
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Rooney Open to Man United Return if Carrick Named Interim Manager

10 January 2026, United Kingdom, Macclesfield: BBC Sport pundit Wayne Rooney pictured ahead of the England FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace at the Leasing.com Stadium. (dpa)
10 January 2026, United Kingdom, Macclesfield: BBC Sport pundit Wayne Rooney pictured ahead of the England FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace at the Leasing.com Stadium. (dpa)

Wayne Rooney said he would be open to joining the coaching staff of former teammate Michael Carrick if he ​takes over as interim manager of Manchester United following Ruben Amorim’s departure last week.

Rooney made 559 appearances and scored 253 goals in a trophy-laden 13-year spell as a player at the club. He retired in 2021 and has had management ‌spells at ‌Derby County, DC United, ‌Birmingham ⁠City ​and ‌Plymouth Argyle.

Asked if he would consider joining Carrick's coaching department, the 40-year-old said on the BBC's The Wayne Rooney Show: "Of course I would. It's a no-brainer.

"I'm not begging a job here, by the way.

"Just so everyone knows, ⁠if I was asked to go in of ‌course I would. Appointing the ‍manager is the most ‍important thing."

Following his retirement from football ‍in 2018, Carrick stayed on at United as part of Jose Mourinho's coaching staff and was also part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's set-up ​when the Portuguese was sacked.

Carrick, who had a short stint as caretaker boss ⁠following Solskjaer's dismissal in 2021, spent two-and-a-half years as Middlesbrough manager from October 2022 to June 2025.

"I think it would be a really good fit," Rooney said.

"Michael loves the football club and would step in to do a job if he can.

"He lives and breathes that club - that's what the club needs."

United, who are seventh in the ‌Premier League, face Manchester City on Saturday.