18 hours ago
46
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has admitted that he can't rely on winning the Premier League title last season to defend against the crisis that the club currently finds itself in.
Slot became a hero in his debut season after replacing the legendary Jurgen Klopp, as he guided Liverpool to its second Premier League title. The Dutchman won with the majority of Klopp's squad, with Federico Chiesa the only addition.
Despite a drop in performance levels, Liverpool won the opening seven games of this season, but has since lost eight of the last 11 games in all competitions. Slot is under extreme pressure to turn things around, and he admitted that he feels required to prove himself every day.
Liverpool has won one Premier League match since September 20, a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Anfield on November 1. Liverpool has won three of four Champions League games this season, but after exiting the EFL Cup, the Premier League has also become a cause for concern.
The dismal 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday has further increased the pressure on Slot, as Liverpool is not only exposed defensively but is struggling to create chances offensively. Slot is aware of the noise around Anfield and doesn't take his role for granted.
"Every day, you have to prove yourself if you are working at a club at this level," Slot told reporters on Tuesday. "You can't say you've won the league and everything is okay.
"At this level, the next game is the most important. That's the same for me and the players.
"Working in this environment, you can never rest, you have to keep going, especially when things aren't going well. I don't know if I have to prove myself to the fans as much as I have to prove to myself."
Last season, Slot was tested with off-field tension as Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold were all set to leave as free agents. However, Salah and Van Dijk extended their contracts, while Alexander-Arnold joined Real Madrid on a free transfer.
This season, Liverpool had an unprecedented summer transfer window, breaking its transfer record twice, but the signings of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz haven't had the impact fans expected. While there's hope that Liverpool can become a powerhouse, current performance levels aren't acceptable.
"It is ridiculous. It is unbelievable," Slot said of Liverpool's form. "I have said many times, you will never find enough excuses for us to perform like this.
"It's unexpected for the club, for me, for everyone. But this is maybe the best club to face it, the harder it gets at this club, the more we are together.
"We are conceding more goals than last season. This time last season, we conceded zero set-pieces; now it is nine. The number of goals is close to ridiculous for a club like us."
English (US) ·