Arne Slot: Liverpool boss admits side must fix 'imbalance' at both ends of pitch to 'quieten the outside noise'
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has admitted his team have to improve in both ends of the pitch to mediate the criticism against them; Slot says it is impossible to shut out the noise; Jamie Carragher has claimed that Slot's job will be at risk if Reds fail to qualify for the Champions League
Tuesday 27 January 2026 17:12, UK
Arne Slot has admitted Liverpool must improve their play at both ends of the pitch if they want to put a stop to recent criticism.
The reigning champions have lacked firepower in front of goal this season, and become leakier at the back as they sit 14 points off leaders Arsenal in the Premier League back in sixth place.
While things look more promising in Europe, with the Reds sitting fourth in the Champions League standings ahead of their final league match against Qarabag on Wednesday, Slot has pinpointed an 'imbalance' between the chances they create from good positions compared to those created against them which is a cause for concern.
- Carra: Slot at risk of losing job if Liverpool fail to qualify for CL
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"It's going to be really difficult to quieten the outside noise with the position we are in," Slot said in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game at Anfield.
"Every loss or disappointing result will start the noise coming back again.
"That's what you can expect when we have moments with so many losses. It's impossible to shut out the noise if you are not competing for the league.
"For me, it's so simple. In between the boxes we are a very good team. Also, against Bournemouth, so many times we were in positions I want my players to be in.
"But killing those moments. Bringing it from promising positions to creating chances. If we have the chances, then be clinical and finish it off. That is something we have to improve.
"In the other box, other teams arrive there three or four times a game. Too many times when they arrive there it leads to chances or goals. There is a complete imbalance in the amount of times we arrive in the box and the times other teams arrive there. But there isn't an inbalance in the number of goals that are being scored. That's a really bad cocktail.
"If we can improve in both boxes it can be a special season. If we can only improve in one box, then it's going to be probably an acceptable season. If we can't improve in either box, there's going to be a lot of noise."
Carragher: Slot's job at risk without Champions League football
Jamie Carragher speaking on Monday Night Football:
"If you don't qualify for the Champions League, having won the league the season before and spent as much as Liverpool, I don't think you've got a leg to stand on.
"The real worry I have for Liverpool in terms of qualifying for the Champions League is the three big things that stand out in the Premier League now are set-pieces, counter-attacking football and coming up against low blocks.
"Liverpool can't cope with any of them. What we're seeing is a team in the Premier League that's not suited to the Premier League.
"Once you start seeing what Manchester United and Chelsea have done in the last couple of weeks, you start seeing that Liverpool could actually finish outside the Champions League positions. I really fear for them.
"Once you start fearing Champions League qualification for next season, that's when I think we've got a completely different proposition when we're talking about the manager's job. That, for me, is completely different.
"If we're talking about not winning the league or challenging for the league, that is a collective responsibility, and Liverpool don't win the league every year.
"Not making the Champions League from [being] champions, spending £450m and having the highest wage bill in the Premier League, which is normally the biggest determining factor over where you finish in the league, I think you've got serious questions to ask."
Slot: Reality is Liverpool have not won much in last three years
While Slot did understand the need for Liverpool to be competing at the top, he defended their current struggles by saying that the reality is that the club have not dominated in major competitions in recent years.
"When you are Liverpool, the aim is to win the league. But we have only done this twice in the last 30 years," he added.
"We want to be competitive in every single competition we are in but the reality is in the last three years we have won one League Cup and one Premier League title.
"A lot has been said about the £450m we've spent and not about the £300m we've brought in. So, I have my opinion about what is acceptable, but I'm not going to share that."
