Liverpool have had a torrid week but Arne Slot says he doesn’t care about being relegated
Arne Slot insists he has the support of Liverpool’s squad and fans after another testing week which saw them crash out of the FA Cup and suffer a one-sided defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Liverpool were beaten 4-0 at Manchester City last Saturday – with captain Virgil van Dijk admitting the players “gave up” in the second half – and would have been on the brink of a similar result at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night had it not been for some finishing.
Slot’s replacement in Paris’ five-man defense failed miserably as the visitors failed to have a single shot on target in a toothless display that resulted in a 2-0 loss.
That, combined with Liverpool’s position in fifth place in the Premier League, has led to questions about the Dutchman’s position but he insists he has the support of everyone at Anfield.
Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s home game against Fulham, he said: “I repeat myself a lot but I feel very supported, not only by the owners but also by Richard. [Hughes] and Michael [Edwards]and a lot of support from them and but as strange as it may sound I also feel the support from the fans.
“We were leaving Paris when the players went out to prepare and after losing 4-0 [against Manchester City] the fans immediately started chanting ‘we love Liverpool’.
“I think it’s good that we played for 90 minutes and they continued to sing and clap for us.
Liverpool are having a tough time in a tough season
Liverpool face PSG in the second leg on Tuesday night but must first focus on the challenge of finishing in the Premier League’s top five and playing against Europe’s best next season.
Slot added: “It’s normal at the end of the season – not just for us but for all teams – these are defining moments.
“We didn’t give ourselves the best situation we could have but Paris saved us and we’re still in this game. Two big league games will follow, then four more after that and hopefully more in the Champions League. But the first thing to focus on is Fulham.”
The Cottagers will arrive on Merseyside chasing a European place and Slot accepts it will be another tough game for his side.
Asked to talk about Fulham’s quality, he said: “As usual in football, the quality of the players is compared to the manager they have. Their manager has been with them for a long time and you can see that when they play – a clear structure and self-awareness.”
The game corresponding to last season ended in a 2-2 draw even though Liverpool were reduced to ten men after just 16 minutes when Andy Robertson was sent off with a red card.
Slot added: “We played last season at home when we got the red card and it was probably one of the best games we played last season which sounds strange, but with 10 men we were really good, I think we scored twice.
“That game probably summed up our season.”
Liverpool Slot manager congratulates Robertson on departure
Robertson announced yesterday that he will leave the club at the end of the season after nine years of lifting the trophy and Slot was quick to pay tribute to the Scottish defender.
“First of all, he had many good seasons here not only as a player but as a person at a high level,” he said. “I know him as a person of high quality. All my colleagues will tell you how funny he is, how good he is and I think that has been shown on social media as well.
“But what I remember most about him is the intensity with which he plays and we have seen and learned something about intensity in the last two days but, I also remember Robbo writing from the position where you play on the left to the right a few years ago and I showed it to my teammates back then.
“He won everything in this team, he served his club and he really loves this team. It was a good nine years for him. This season he didn’t play the way he used to and that’s why he’s leaving.”
