Liverpool's Arne Slot is under increasing pressure as his team prepares to face Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday night. The reigning Premier League champions are in a slump, having lost six of their last seven games in all competitions. This includes a recent 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup and four consecutive Premier League losses. The last time Liverpool lost five straight league matches was in 1953.
Slot acknowledged the team's poor form in his pre-match program notes, stating, "No-one needs me to tell them that our recent run of form has been tough. In simple terms, it has not been good enough for this club or for our supporters and the sooner we can turn things around the better". Despite the setbacks, Slot is urging unity and resilience. He added, "So in the absence of an easy solution the only option is working as hard as ever, believing in one another and giving everything that we possibly can, whatever our role".
Team news is a mix of good and bad for Liverpool. Midfielder Ryan Gravenberch is in contention to return after recovering from an ankle injury. However, Alexander Isak and Curtis Jones are likely to miss the game due to injuries. Alisson Becker, Jeremie Frimpong, and Giovanni Leoni are also confirmed absentees. Slot said that Isak and Jones are "99.9 per cent sure" to not be available this weekend.
Despite Liverpool's struggles, reports indicate that the club is not considering replacing Arne Slot. The club's management believes that Slot is the "best man" to turn things around, despite the team's poor performance and significant spending during the summer transfer window.
Aston Villa, managed by Unai Emery, are in much better form. They have won six of their last seven games, including a 1-0 victory over Manchester City. Emery's side is now level on points with Liverpool, with only goal difference separating the two teams. Villa will be without Emi Buendia due to a serious ankle injury, while Harvey Elliott is ineligible to play against his parent club. Youri Tielemans and Andres Garcia are also sidelined.
Slot acknowledged Villa's strong form, stating that they are "an example of how quickly fortunes can change as long as everyone continues to believe and commitment does not diminish". He also noted that Villa's victory over Manchester City demonstrates their quality and belief. Liverpool will need to overcome their injury list and shattered confidence to get a result against Aston Villa. A fifth straight league loss would be the club's worst such run since 1953.
