Arne Slot resisted the urge to criticize his Liverpool players following a chaotic 3-2 defeat at Fulham, which momentarily halted their Premier League title celebrations. Despite the loss, the gap between Liverpool and Arsenal remained at 11 points, meaning the leaders still need another 11 to clinch the title after suffering just their second defeat of the campaign. The loss was largely due to poor defending in the first half at Craven Cottage, a scenario Slot acknowledged could happen against a quality team like Fulham. He pointed out that mistakes were punished, but emphasized the quality of Fulham’s performance.
Fulham’s three goals, scored by Ryan Sessegnon, the outstanding Alex Iwobi, and Rodrigo Muniz, came in a first half where Liverpool was caught off guard. Curtis Jones, who was playing as an emergency right-back, was one of many to make costly errors, with Virgil van Dijk, too, failing to prevent Muniz’s decisive third goal. Slot admitted that while the first half was not a complete disaster, the mistakes made were uncharacteristic of Liverpool, who are typically known for their low error rate. He praised the team’s consistency throughout the season, noting that it is their ability to minimize mistakes that has placed them at the top of the league.
Despite the defeat, Slot rejected suggestions that Arsenal’s earlier draw with Everton had affected Liverpool’s focus. He was adamant that there was no complacency among his players and stressed that Liverpool’s success is built on hard work and quality, not on winning by large margins. He further explained that to win, Liverpool requires immense effort, which has been evident in their performances all season. Though the defeat was a setback, Slot remained confident that his players would bounce back.
On the individual performances of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, Slot was careful not to dwell on their shortcomings. He acknowledged that Van Dijk, despite his mistake leading to Fulham’s third goal, still does many things well. He attributed such moments to the high volume of matches Van Dijk plays, pointing out that even the best players have periods where they could perform better. As for Salah, Slot was more diplomatic, noting that Salah’s recent form may not have been up to his usual standards, but this should be seen as a compliment, suggesting that Salah’s low numbers indicate how high the expectations are for him. Slot expressed no concerns, stating that Salah will inevitably return to form.
When asked if the team’s midweek Merseyside derby exertion played a role in their defeat, Slot dismissed tiredness as a factor. He emphasized that the team had four days of recovery, which should have been sufficient to maintain their high levels of performance. The errors, he insisted, were not due to fatigue.
Fulham’s manager, Marco Silva, celebrated the victory as one of his team’s finest performances of the season. He expressed immense pride in Fulham’s resilience, particularly after Liverpool mounted a late pressure at 3-2. Silva praised Liverpool as one of the best teams in Europe, particularly noting their attacking play and ball movement. Despite this, Silva believed Fulham were the superior side on the day and credited his players for staying confident and focused throughout the match.
