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Arne Slot during the Community Shield loss to Crystal Palace (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / NOT FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING USE / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

Arne Slot has challenged his Liverpool players to add a streetwise streak to their game as they begin their Premier League title defence at home to Bournemouth on Friday night.

Ryan Gravenberch is unavailable for the game after being sent off in the final fixture of last season, when the champions were held to a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.

Despite already being on a booking for simulation, the Netherlands international was shown a straight red card for a professional foul, meaning he misses just one match.

Slot referenced that carding and an incident with new signing Florian Wirtz in the second half of Sunday's Community Shield penalties loss to Palace as reasons for why his players could benefit from being a bit more clever in certain phases of matches, but he also explained his pride at how his squad cantered to the title by 10 points without having to utilise the 'dark arts' too often.

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"Last Sunday the chances we conceded were mainly because three times we lost the ball very simply in midfield and they could counter attack us," Slot said in his Thursday morning press conference.

"You could say Ryan is always taking really good care of the ball but I am not sure how much we missed him last Sunday.

It's not funny but I can't find another word, everyone has probably forgotten but he got his suspension, two yellow cards.

"The first was for a dive, there is one team in the league that, in my opinion, is by far the most honest team and when they play - and I sometimes blame them for this - they never try to make more of a foul, like Cody in the 2-2 game with Palace, we conceded and he got a push in the back he was too clean.

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"So if there is one team in the league that is very clean, never dives, never time delays, it is us.

But that was just such high intensity because both teams were here to play and not a foul or time delaying.

"I am proud of who we are and we won the league by being who we were, so let us stay who we are.

But sometimes, like against Palace - if I talk to a referee or fourth official, it is about this - but they hold Florian, clearly in midfield, and he is so fair that he didn’t fall over and the referee says: 'If you don’t fall I don’t give a free-kick.'

"That is a little bit weird.

We are a very fair team, that is clear, and that is also maybe the reason we won the league, so why change some things when it went so well?"