Liverpool manager Arne Slot couldn't resist a cheeky dig at Manchester United - whether intentional or unintentional - ahead of his Anfield Champions League debut against Bologna.
While the Reds' soared to the top of the Premier League table at the weekend by beating Wolves 2-1 at Molineux, United slumped to a second successive 3-0 undressing at Old Trafford.
Slot's Liverpool hammered the Red Devils at their home stadium last month and Tottenham matched that same scoreline on Sunday to leave Erik ten Hag's team 13th in the table after six games, eight points adrift of their Merseyside rivals.
Slot has made it clear he does not feel Liverpool have faced a truly top-tier side in the Premier League yet, with all of their opponents so far 10th or lower, and took a cheeky dig at United as he hinted they are a "bottom half team".
He stated: "I see things we definitely have to improve if we want to stay where we are with the fixture list that's coming up.
"Every fixture is difficult in the Premier League but everybody tells me that a top league table team is a bit more difficult than a lower league table team.
"Which we can all understand. We have not faced one of them yet. We have to do things better but one of the reasons we can stay up there is because we have a lot of players with a lot of individual quality."
Slot is eager for his Liverpool players to show the Champions League what it has been missing now that they're back among the continent's elite after being in the Europa League last year.
Liverpool, six-time European Cup champions, are set to host Italian side Bologna and are aiming to build on their victory over AC Milan last month.
This match will be Slot's inaugural experience of a European night under the lights at Anfield.
He said: "I am privileged enough to work at Feyenoord where Champions League nights last season were also really special.
"People tell me it will be even more special here. What I expect from our players they have missed out on the Champions League for a year so when they step out on the pitch tomorrow I want to see this, I want to feel like they feel 'Ah, we missed it for a season'.
"A club of this standard has to be ready and I'm hoping and expecting the same from our fans.
"They have missed it for a season and I am hoping they feel this desire to show to Europe again 'They missed us because of this' and that combination should hopefully lead to a very special night for everyone involved at Liverpool."
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Slot admitted he wasn't delighted with the final 15 minutes of their win at Molineux, saying he grew frustrated about missed opportunities to kill the game off late on.
"We as a team, if you have so much quality, you cannot accept mediocrity," he said.
"You have to ask from yourself every second of the day, every second of the game, the highest standards that this shirt brings.
"I and we as a staff have to set those standards very clear and that 15 minutes when we lost the ball so many times in promising positions or moments that could lead to promising positions is maybe not acceptable."