Arne Slot won’t take Liverpool’s support for granted and admits the club will never accept a situation where “losing becomes normal.”
Liverpool head into tonight’s Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven at Anfield still smarting from their 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest at the weekend.
It was their sixth defeat in seven Premier League games and means they ended the weekend in 12th place in the table.
Despite the sudden downturn in form, the Liverpool fans did not turn on the players on Saturday with the bulk staying to the end to applaud the team.
Fans stick with mis-firing Liverpool
That has not gone unnoticed, says Slot, who wants to repay them with wins.
“Usually after a defeat I would say that the next game is an opportunity to respond and this is certainly true in this case,” he wrote in his programme notes for tonight’s game. “Liverpool is not a club where losing can become in any way normal, which means the only option available to us is to react in the right way.
“The most straightforward way of explaining what this means in practice is each of us giving absolutely everything that we have to try to get the kind of positive result that we need. This is the minimum possible requirement, not just tonight but in every single game we play.
“On Saturday we did not meet the kind of standards that we set for ourselves. This is clear. I said afterwards that in the circumstances the crowd stayed with us in a way that maybe wouldn’t happen at other clubs, but this is not something that we should take for granted.
“It is up to us to create the conditions for positive support by playing good football, competing at all times and showing the kind of drive that Liverpool teams are known for. This is a responsibility that we all should embrace because we know from experience how positive the situation can become when it is like this.”
PSV will provide stern test
Liverpool are woefully out of form with key players seemingly lacking in confidence.
It won’t be easy to get back on track against a PSV side that are currently dominating the Eredivisie.
“PSV are top of the Eredivisie and have been champions for the last two seasons in a row so their pedigree speaks for itself,” added Slot. “In Peter Bosz, they also have a manager who is highly respected not just in Holland but in football in general.
“They are a very strong side with some excellent players – you only have to look at their recent victory over Napoli to see this – which makes this an occasion to show our best face.”
Slot is not thought to be under any immediate pressure regarding his job after winning the Premier League title in his first season and outlined his determination to turn this situation around.
“I said earlier and also after Saturday’s game that I am really appreciative that our supporters have stuck with us in the way they have and I would add that this only strengthens my desire to give you the kind of football and also the results that you deserve,” he said.
“We were able to do this last season and at the start of this season but recently we have fallen short of this objective. I take responsibility for this and I will always do so.
“We need to turn the tide for our supporters and for ourselves and tonight would be a good time to start doing so.”
Liverpool go into the game in 10th place in the league phase but will climb back inside the top eight with a win.
