Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been speaking to the media before Wednesday’s Uefa Champions League game against PSV Eindhoven at Anfield (kick-off 20:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
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Joe Gomez will be available for selection again but is “not completely fit” after receiving a knee injection last week that kept him out of training before the defeat against Nottingham Forest.
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Dominik Szoboszlai remains an option at right-back with Slot confirming the Hungarian will definitely feature on Wednesday but confirmed “he can play in multiple positions so let’s see where we’ll use him”.
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Slot “didn’t have a problem” with Murillo’s goal that stood at Anfield on the weekend, despite its similarity to Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed goal against Manchester City earlier in the month and is not seeking an explanation from the Premier League.
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He said: “If we would have had clarification for all of the decisions that went against us this season, then I probably wouldn’t have time to manage our team anymore but to be fair. I think the first goal we conceded against Forest was a goal. I also think the one we scored at City was a goal.”
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Liverpool have now lost six league matches but Slot believes it is bringing his squad together: “It is ridiculous. It is unbelievable. 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.”
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The Dutchman also believes he is always having to prove himself, regardless of Liverpool’s form: “It has nothing to do with a situation like this. Every day, you have to prove yourself at this level. You can’t say ‘I won a league’ or anything like that.”
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He continued: “You have to win the next game, for me and the players. That’s the environment I like to work in. I don’t know if I need to prove myself to the fans as well as I have to prove myself to myself.”
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On facing PSV, Slot said: “I’ve played a lot against PSV as a player and manager. It’s not a good opponent to have and they’re probably better than ever. Maybe they didn’t start that well in the first part of the season but, the last two to three months they are just a winning machine. Much more solid. I think this team comes close to the best he [PSV boss Peter Bosz] has managed. They’re doing really well at the moment.”
