Arne Slot declared that he confronts a major obstacle to energize Liverpool after Manchester United triumphed at Anfield for the first time in more than a decade, handing a fourth successive defeat on the faltering Premier League champions.
Arne Slot pointed to wastefulness in front of goal and additional set-piece lapses from his team for their most recent loss, as Ruben Amorim savoured the initial consecutive league victories of his United reign.
The match-winner, whose 84th-minute header secured victory, admitted it was "embarrassing" that United had needed over 50 fixtures to achieve that record under Amorim.
Arne Slot asserted it was unthinkable for Liverpool to suffer a loss in a match in which they generated so many clear chances. The Liverpool forward struck the crossbar on three occasions and missed a gilt-edged opportunity to head home a second equaliser in the dying moments. But having succumbed to one opponent, another team, a rival, and now Manchester United, the head coach conceded he has a job on his hands to end Liverpool's negative streak.
"As the head coach, you continuously encounter obstacles," said Slot. "When you start and you have to get results, when you go to a larger team, as the replacement of a legendary manager and supporters are stating: 'It represents the greatest test you have ever faced.' Now we have experienced a quartet of setbacks and that is likewise a challenge. The existence of a football manager is indeed an continuous challenge."
"But do we lose confidence? I can not see that yet because all fixtures we've lost we were successful in producing in the final 45 minutes an unbelievable amount of chances. If we can maintain creating what we are achieving and possibly do a few things a slightly improved, then there is every reason to expect that we will triumph in matches again. Of course there is the additional factor that, apart from the pair of strikes we conceded, we yielded possibly a couple more openings. This is continually the struggle we have when we are 1-0 down, then you must assume a little more of a gamble."
Arne Slot felt the umpire, the ref, ought to have halted play before the scorer's 62-second opener because of a blow to the head sustained by Alexis Mac Allister. The player needed medical stitching in a cut. But the head coach stated: "The key point I must do now is avoid complaining at these matters. We ought to have performed far better following Mac Allister was on the floor but the safety of the athletes is vital and if a player must have four stitches, you would anticipate all parties comprehends he required attention. But we should have executed better and that is not the reason we lost. The cause is we squandered far too many chances to win a contest."
The United manager stated United's fight and calmness was key to success at Anfield, notably after Gakpo drew level for Liverpool towards the end, but asserted the greatest achievement of his turbulent time in charge would not alter any goals for the campaign.
The United head coach commented: "I want you guys [the media] to continue with the perspective that you have so I will not increase the goal. What we need to do is attempt to win a trio of successive fixtures now and ignore European qualification or top six. We previously stated we wish to go to Europe. This alters nothing. We are the identical side we were 90 minutes ago."
The defender, however, described the win as "huge" for United as they at last obtained two consecutive Premier League triumphs under the Portuguese coach. United's match-winner stated: "It's shameful honestly. It's not a figure that we need to mention because it is an humiliating statistic to have."
"With that behind us, let's try and make it three [wins] on the weekend against the Seagulls, because we must start showing a slightly greater steadiness together. The last three or four years we'd produce a performance like this and the following game we decline again. We have created a baseline, there are many aspects we can improve."
"Our coach aims for perfection so I'm sure he will expect us to perform better than we played in the final 45 minutes. Excellent fight, big determination, big victory, but once more we must proceed again."
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