Liverpool boss Arne Slot admits he ‘must have done a lot of things wrong’ this season but believes a Champions League win on Wednesday night would start to change the negative narrative.
The Reds are 1-0 down to Galatasaray after defeat in Istanbul last week and have had a poor league title defence, with the same issues haunting Slot time and again.
But the defiant Dutchman insists overturning the first-leg deficit and qualifying for a quarter-final can start to make the overall outlook of this season look better.
Asked about fans booing the team, Slot said: ‘People told me when I came here – if (fans’ booing) was towards me – that this club is different from other clubs. They will support the manager for such, such, such a long time.
‘So the moment, if it’s true (that fans are annoyed with the head coach), then I must have done a lot of things wrong.
‘That’s never a nice feeling to have, because being in the club that’s always so supportive for the manager in good and bad times… if they are not happy with me, then apparently I’ve done so many things wrong, and that’s never a nice feeling to have.
‘But, I also know how the football industry works. Winning can change a lot. That’s what we are trying to achieve tomorrow. And we’re completely ready for that, I can tell you that.’
Arne Slot applauds the fans following the draw against Spurs, shortly after Richarlison levelled
It is a game of the utmost importance for Liverpool given their league season has been terrible. Finishing in the top five is the goal but that alone will not get fans back on side for the under-fire boss, with an FA Cup run also a potential route for Slot to regain trust.
Not for the first time this season, boos were audible at full-time on Sunday and fans left the stadium early. Vice-captain Andy Robertson said he understands the reaction and the players’ challenge must be to make the hard-working supporters happy again.
‘The thing that was most disappointing was our fans left unhappy,’ said the Scot, who is out of contract at the end of the season but refused to give anything away when asked about his future.
‘Since I’ve been here for nine years now, our aim is always to be sending our fans home happy because when they go bounding out Anfield we know we’ve done our job. In football that gives you the biggest satisfaction.
‘On Sunday they weren’t happy, and neither were we, and I can completely understand that. But in terms of tomorrow night, it doesn’t worry me at all because Anfield, under the lights, our fans in that stadium; they’ve been here before and they’ll be here many, many times in the future.
‘They always produce special nights. We’ve been very lucky to have so many over the years that I have been here and I don’t think tomorrow night will be any different, but we have to give them something to shout about.’
Liverpool are sweating over the fitness of defender Joe Gomez but Ibrahima Konate is OK again after a minor hamstring problem. Long-term absentee Alexander Isak is getting ‘closer and closer’ to rejoining parts of team training, said Slot, but patience is still required with his recovery timeline.
