2026-01-30 15:03:52
Arne Slot says Liverpool cannot afford any “mistakes” in the battle for Champions League qualification.
The Reds now have a run of six Premier League matches before returning to European action in March and the manager knows his team’s form has to improve if they are to secure a berth in the continent’s elite competition next season.
Slot said: “We already thought that every single period was pivotal so that hasn’t changed but it is obvious the closer you come to the end, the less opportunities you have to make a mistake.
“We are now in a position where we cannot afford a mistake any more because we have made too many, giving away goals in the last minute that don’t do any justice to the performance in terms of the score.
“Every single game is crucial, but the way we have positioned ourselves now makes probably every game even more crucial because that is definitely what we want to achieve. It (Newcastle) is a crucial game, as is the next one, as is the next one as well.”
Slot hopes that Liverpool’s lighter schedule helps some of the team’s injured players to recover – with defenders Jeremie Frimpong and Joe Gomez both missing Saturday’s (31.01.26) game against Newcastle.
The Dutch coach said: “He (Frimpong) will definitely not be in the squad tomorrow.
“He is out for a few weeks but not as bad as we thought, so something positive from something not so positive.
“Joe will not be available for the weekend but that doesn’t have to take much longer any more.”
Despite the injury problems, Slot stated that Liverpool are unlikely to bring in players in before the transfer window shuts on Monday (02.02.26).
He said: “The answer is that if we think we have identified a player that can help us and we think it is possible then we will do so.”
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