Slot understands Liverpool fan concerns

Arne Slot understands why confidence is low among the Liverpool fanbase, but he urged the supporters to have patience.

Liverpool were beaten 4-2 by Aston Villa on Friday, meaning they may have to beat Brentford on the final day to be absolutely certain of Champions League qualification.

It has been a hugely disappointing season for the Reds, who relinquished their Premier League title with a whimper.

Liverpool spent big last year on Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike, but with stalwarts Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson leaving, and speculation swirling over Alisson, this summer is set to be a busy one.

Slot has come under pressure from some sections of Liverpool's support, but he insists they should not underestimate the impact a strong transfer window could have on the squad for next term.

"I can understand that at this moment in time [the fans] don't have a lot of confidence or a lot of feeling that things can be much better next season, but I think then they are underestimating what a [transfer] window can do, what a new start can do," Slot said, as reported by ESPN.

"I think we know quite well what to improve. One of the things we have to improve is very, very obvious, and I would have preferred not to talk about it here, but you're actually almost forcing me to.

"If you miss nine players that can start a game of football and almost all of them are starters for us – or have been for large parts of the season – then if you add that to what you can improve in a window and add that to players that are playing for the second season in the Premier League, and I think we saw that the adaptation for a few of them took some time, that will automatically lead to much more.

"My opinion, and nobody has to agree with me, is that for large parts of the game we were close to a result, but when you are the better team, you need to generate more chances and score them, and we cannot concede as many set pieces as we have conceded this season.

"I don't think the difference is so big; only doing the right thing in a few situations can have a massive upward possibility."

Excluding penalties, Liverpool have conceded the most goals from set-pieces in the Premier League this season (20) – the Reds have conceded 11 goals via corners for the first time in a Premier League campaign.  

Liverpool have lost 19 games across all competitions this season. Since they were last promoted to the top flight in 1962, only in 1992-93 (20) have the Reds suffered more defeats in a campaign (also 19 in 2004-05 and 2009-10).