Having dispatched Newcastle 4-1 in an English Premier League clash on Saturday, manager Arne Slot believes his Liverpool side have stepped up a notch or two in their last two matches, as they chase a UEFA Champions League (UCL) spot amidst a tumultuous season.

The Reds snapped a winless streak of five games, thanks to a brace from striker Hugo Ekitike (41st and 43rd min), while Florian Wirtz (67th min) and Ibrahima Konate (90+3rd min) added further gloss to the scoreline after Newcastle had opened the scoring via Anthony Gordon (36th min).