Under-pressure Liverpool manager Arne Slot has received a clear message to continue fighting and disregard the growing external speculation about his future at the club.
Shocking Run of Form Fuels Speculation
The reigning Premier League champions are in the midst of a deeply concerning slump, having lost nine of their last twelve matches. This week delivered two particularly embarrassing defeats at their home ground, Anfield, against Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven, leading a section of the fanbase to call for the head coach's dismissal.
However, despite the poor results, Daily Mail Sport reported that, according to sources close to the club and the coach himself, Slot retains the backing of the Liverpool hierarchy. When questioned on whether he had spoken with the club's top brass after the 4-1 loss to Dutch champions PSV, Slot confirmed the ongoing dialogue.
Slot's Defiance and Belief in the Team
"We have had the same conversations since I was here," Slot stated. "I am not sure if I said last night but we fight on, we try to improve – that's what we all try. But the conversations have been the same as they have been for the last one-and-a-half years."
The Dutchman is adamant that his squad possesses the necessary resolve to reverse their fortunes as they prepare for a crucial trip to the London Stadium to face West Ham on Sunday. He pointed to positive aspects of their recent performances, despite the disappointing results.
"In the first 85 minutes against PSV, or for large parts of the game, I saw a team that have had a lot of setbacks recently and were still able to fight against that," he added. "I see a team that never gives up. I see the running stats, I see it in the chances we create after we go down."
Team News and Injury Updates
Slot's pre-match press conference was held on Thursday afternoon due to the players having a day off from training on Friday, though they will undertake recovery work and a session on Saturday before travelling to London.
The head coach could be boosted by the return of key personnel for the weekend fixture. Number one goalkeeper Alisson, who missed the PSV defeat through illness, trained on Thursday and is expected to be available.
There is also hope that Florian Wirtz, absent for the last two games, will be able to train on Saturday. The injury to Hugo Ekitike, who was forced off with back problems, is not believed to be serious. He is considered a doubt for Sunday but still has a chance of featuring.
