Arne Slot speaks of pride at how Reds have dealt with Diogo Jota's death

Arne Slot says he is "proud" of how Liverpool have dealt with the passing of Diogo Jota, at the end of a week in which he would have turned 29.

Thursday marked Jota's birthday and put Liverpool's on-field struggles into perspective.

Reflecting on how difficult it has been to grieve for Jota, Slot opened up to Sky Sports.

"The players and our fans and everyone connected to the football club… everybody has conducted themselves so well," said Slot.

"Every game in the 20th minute the fans sing for him. And from the moment it happened until now, I think I'm proud of how everyone has handled the situation. As a club, as players, as supporters, in my opinion, we couldn't have done better than we did.

"And I leave results completely out of this conversation."

Asked how tough it has been to keep coming into the Liverpool facilities, where Jota had been such an important presence, Slot said: "It is completely different than what's usual when you grieve. It's usually either someone's family or relative or a friend of yours, and then you come to your work and that's the place to forget the grief. And now that is the opposite.

"So now when they are here, the players, and us as a staff as well, [we] are much more confronted with it instead of when we are at home."

However, Slot was keen to put their own loss in relation to that of Jota's family.

"We all have to understand that if it's difficult for us, how hard is it for his family, for his wife, children, parents?

"Yes, it's hard for us, but for them it must be so hard.

"It's his birthday, Christmas is coming up, New Year's Eve, so it has been such a difficult year for them and this month will not be an exception to that."

Slot feeling support from fans and staff

On the field, Liverpool are enduring a poor run of form. The defending champions have won just four of their last 14 games across all competitions, losing nine of those matches.

It's a huge drop off from their dominance last season, with Slot's management scrutinised by critics. But the Dutchman says the support of Liverpool fans has helped him in tough moments.

"First of all, my family is very, very, very supportive, as always, no matter if we win or lose, but maybe the more [when] we lose," he said.

"And I think the same can be said about everyone in and around the football club, from ownership to Michael Edwards to Richard Hughes to press officers or whoever else.

"The staff members are very helpful, as they've always been. Very, very positive, trying to do even more than they usually do to get results going.

"So I absolutely don't feel on my own. Of course, there are moments when it's difficult and that you sometimes can feel alone, but generally speaking, I feel so much support.

"And the last one I definitely must not forget, because you were talking about scrutiny and about pressure and this and this… But I think it's been the last three games where maybe even more that I every time feel the support of the fans.

"And not only feel it, I can even hear it. So the ones that are in the stadium, in the away end at West Ham and this time again against Sunderland, I can even hear the support I'm getting from our fans.

"I feel a lot of support."

Asked if the hard times have taught him more about Liverpool and its supporters, Slot said: "I wouldn't say learn, but it has shown me even more how special this club is.

"Because if you win, I think every fan is supportive everywhere around the world.

"You can make a difference as a fan, as a fanbase, when things are difficult. And I think the first time they've shown this was when the tragedy with Diogo happened. And the way this season has went, I felt - and I think the players felt the same - a lot of support from them.

"That's much more difficult for a fanbase. And this is where they stand out compared to so many other fanbases."