Arne Slot revealed his half-time rant inspired Liverpool to fight back for a 3-1 win against Southampton as the English Premier League leaders moved 16 points clear on Saturday.
Slot was watching from the Anfield stands as he served the last game of his touchline suspension for a foul-mouthed tirade at the officials following Liverpool's draw with Everton. The Reds boss was still able to join his players in the changing room at the interval and took the opportunity to let rip after their dismal first-half display against bottom-of-the-table Southampton.
A mix-up between captain Virgil van Dijk and goalkeeper Alisson Becker allowed Will Smallbone to give the Saints a shock lead seconds before the break.
But Slot was quick to point out their flaws and demand an improvement before making a triple substitution, with Harvey Elliott, Andy Robertson and Alexis Mac Allister coming on and immediately changing the dynamic.
Within the space of five minutes, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah netted to restore order as Liverpool avoided an embarrassing defeat.
Salah, who blasted home his second penalty of the afternoon in the 88th minute, said in a post-match television interview that Slot's "head was going for us."
"I didn't give them compliments at half-time, I can tell you," Slot said as he confirmed Salah's view on the half-time talk.
"I don't think I was wrong if I said at half-time that the energy levels were far, far, far too low.
"That had to change and that is why we made three substitutions, apart from energy to bring in quality ... That was the only thing I could come up with at half-time to create something different for the second half."
The hard-fought 1-0 midweek win at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last-16 first leg appeared to take a toll on Liverpool's fatigued stars in the opening period.
Slot was relieved to see his changes pay off and produce a more vibrant performance in the second half.
"I know these players can come up with completely different energy levels than they did in the first half," Slot said.
"When I look at the game against PSG, we have to go one step up in terms of intensity and compared to the game today, we need to go five, six, seven steps up if we want to have any chance of reaching the next round."
PSG have nothing to lose as they look to overturn a 1-0 deficit, coach Luis Enrique said after a 4-1 win at Stade Rennais in French Ligue 1.
Luis Enrique said the win at Roazhon Park would lift his team's spirits ahead of Tuesday's second leg at Anfield.
"I think we'll be in the best possible shape for the Liverpool game. We've got nothing to lose. Our only objective is victory and that's what we're going for," the Spaniard said. "We have nothing to lose, which makes us a more dangerous team than we usually are."
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Arne Slot sits in the stands. AFP
