Arne Slot has admitted Liverpool‘s “first aim” this season is getting into the top four after winning just two of their last nine Premier League games.
The defending champions dropped yet more points on Wednesday night when they drew 1-1 with newly promoted Sunderland at Anfield. It leaves them ninth in the table ahead of this weekend’s clash with Leeds United, although they are still just two points behind Chelsea in fourth.
“For me, this tells us how good the Premier League is this season, as it already was last season but it gets better and better every single season — for obvious reasons, because everybody has so much money,” Slot said.
“That tells you how close the margins still are. It’s definitely our first aim to come back to the top four because we are obviously not happy with the position we are in at the moment.”
Slot raised eyebrows on Wednesday night when he dropped Mohamed Salah for the second consecutive game. The forward was introduced from the bench at half-time but Slot refused to be drawn on whether he will start against Leeds on Saturday.
“It’s completely normal,” Slot said. “If I don’t play players I have just brought to the club we are already talking about it so then it is completely normal that people talk about it when he isn’t playing.
“Every player is in my mind to start a game of football because we have so many good players. Mo has been such an exceptional player for us. He is always in my mind to either start or come in.”
