Liverpool manager Arne Slot has admitted that his side must quickly end their troubling run of form after six defeats in their last seven matches left the Premier League champions facing a major crisis.
The Reds have lost their last four league games ahead of Saturday’s clash with in-form Aston Villa at Anfield. They also crashed out of the League Cup in midweek after a 3–0 defeat to Crystal Palace — a result that intensified scrutiny on Slot’s tactical decisions and team selection.
Slot’s choice to rest several key players in that match, including first-choice stars recovering from injuries, drew criticism from fans and pundits. But the Dutch manager defended his decision, saying it was necessary to protect his squad’s fitness amid a congested fixture list.
“It is nothing to do with squad depth — it’s about how we’ve managed the season in terms of injuries and player availability,” Slot said on Friday. “We still have enough good players to compete against Villa, Real Madrid, and Manchester City, but I have to take care of some of them.”
Liverpool are still without Alisson Becker, Alexander Isak, and Jeremie Frimpong, while Ryan Gravenberch has only just returned to training after an ankle injury.
Slot’s side face Aston Villa on Saturday, Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, and Manchester City next weekend — a run that could define their season.
When the two sides last met earlier in the campaign, Liverpool led Villa by 12 points. Now, the teams are separated only by goal difference as Unai Emery’s side have surged in form while Liverpool’s has collapsed.
Slot pointed to Villa’s resurgence as proof that fortunes can change quickly in the Premier League.
“Apart from Arsenal, many teams are close in points,” he said. “That tells you how hard this league is. Normally, you don’t lose games where you create more chances than your opponent — but we’ve made a habit of that. Villa didn’t, and we need to stop doing it too.”
With Arsenal four points clear at the top and just three points separating second-placed Bournemouth from eighth-placed Villa, Slot’s message was clear — Liverpool must stop the slide before it’s too late.
