Liverpool manager Arne Slot and captain Virgil van Dijk have urged for calm and patience as the team continues to gel after the Reds’ loss to Galatasaray in the Champions League.
The Reds produced a disjointed performance in both attack and defence as they slipped to consecutive losses for just the second time in Slot’s tenure, with the defeat meaning they sit 16th in the league phase table with several clubs still to play a second match.
Both Slot and van Dijk were questioned on whether the team was showing the same level of composure and authority as last season, with the manager suggesting that he thinks his side are “not so far” away from the level shown in matches last term.
“For me I saw a lot [of composure] in the first half, the way we played and controlled the game, got our attackers in promising positions,” Slot said to Amazon Prime. “[But] this is sometimes what the schedule can bring.
“From the starting eleven there are three or four positions [that are different] and I have to manage minutes. You see today Ekitike and Alisson going off, that’s why we have to rotate a little bit.
“In the meantime, we’ve only lost one Champions League game and one Premier League game,” he added. “The margins are small and they were last season. For the second time in a row we are on the wrong side.
Reds captain van Dijk said that he is “very confident” his team will return to the levels last season, adding that Liverpool “had a good start this year in terms of points tally”.
“I think we have showed it [authority] already in many games this season but we haven’t shown it for the full 90 minutes yet unfortunately,” he stressed.
“There shouldn’t be panic, but improvement is needed.”
Liverpool also face some new injury concerns after Hugo Ekitike and Alisson were substituted at Rams Park, with Slot seemingly ruling the Brazilian goalkeeper out of the weekend’s fixture.
“It’s never positive if you go off like this,” Slot said regarding Alisson. “You can be sure he is not playing Saturday.”
The Dutchman offered no update on Ekitike, who seemed to overextend when trying to reach the ball before coming off for Alexis Mac Allister.
The league leaders face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this weekend, with kick-off at 5.30pm on Saturday 4 October.
