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Liverpool's season took another worrying turn on Wednesday as the Reds were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Crystal Palace.
The Eagles have now got the better of Liverpool on three occasions already this season, having won the Community Shield in August before September's league victory at Selhurst Park. Many fans felt that the writing was on the wall from before kickoff after Arne Slot selected an inexperienced line-up, while Palace fielded a host of first-team regulars.
The 3-0 defeat means Liverpool has lost six of its last seven games in all competitions, and the awfulness of that form is summed up by the fact that no other team in Europe's big five leagues has lost so many games since 27 September — the date that the Reds' poor run of form kicked off with the league loss to Palace.
The games don't get any easier for Liverpool leading into the international break, with an in-form Aston Villa visiting Anfield this weekend before games against Real Madrid and Manchester City.
Slot was asked in his post-game press conference whether his team selection and the subsequent loss to Palace have put extra pressure on him and the team going into the game against Villa.
"I don't think it is possible if you lose six out of seven that there is even more pressure," he responded.
"If you are on a run of results like this, if you play for Liverpool, if you manage Liverpool, you know the pressure is there.
"I don't think it has changed much after this loss.
"But if it did, then maybe the most positive thing about tonight was the position we were in, 2-0 down, and we weren't really pushing for a goal because we weren't able to, the fans were behind the team and supporting us.
"That gives me the feeling on Saturday, when our players will show how much it means to them, our fans will be incredibly supportive for us on Saturday.
"Again, we face a team that has rested in the week to play us, and that's Villa."
Slot defended his decision to field a weakened side against Palace.
Eagles boss Oliver Glasner also rested key players on Wednesday, although he had star striker Jean-Philippe Mateta on the bench and started captain Marc Guehi. Slot's talisman, Mohamed Salah, didn't make the matchday squad.
Slot added: "I think at this moment in time, with only 15 or 16 players available – and I am talking then about players of our squad available, and to add to that this club has always used this competition to use their academy players as well, the non-starters and the academy players – it felt to me as the right decision and I haven't changed my opinion about that after the result because with our starters we haven't been able to win a lot from Palace as well."
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