The latest setback, a heavy 4–1 loss to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League, marked Liverpool’s third straight defeat by a margin of three goals or more. The slide has dragged the team down to 12th place in the league, 11 points behind frontrunner Arsenal, and extended a sequence of six losses in the last seven domestic fixtures.
Slot, who delivered a near-flawless debut season capped by a record-equalling 20th league title, conceded that expectations at a club of Liverpool’s stature magnify every downturn.
“There’s a lot of pressure if you work or play at a top club and even more so if you start losing more games than this club, or these players or this manager, is used to,” he said. “Last season the pressure was about winning the league. Now it’s a different kind of pressure because we’ve lost so many games.”
Despite a summer outlay of roughly $500 million on marquee signings including Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, the champions have struggled to resemble the side that surged to the title in May. Injuries and inconsistency have compounded the difficulties, though the squad could receive timely boosts ahead of Sunday’s trip to West Ham: goalkeeper Alisson has returned to training after illness, while Wirtz is also nearing readiness following a muscle issue. Slot added that Hugo Ekitike’s back problem, which forced his withdrawal against PSV, is not expected to be “a big issue.”
With the title defense threatening to slip further out of reach, Slot insisted the group remains committed to reversing the slide. “We fight on and we try to improve,” he said. “No matter how difficult it is, we have to fight together.”
Liverpool now face a crucial test in London as they attempt to halt their alarming run and prevent the gap at the top from widening further.