Slot hits out at ´ridiculous´ critics as Liverpool target special season

Arne Slot hit back at his “ridiculous” critics in an outspoken defence of his record, as he suggested Liverpool could still put together a “special” season.

Liverpool thrashed Qarabag 6-0 at Anfield on Wednesday, helped by Alexis Mac Allister’s double, along with goals from Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike and Federico Chiesa.

But after Liverpool’s largest margin of victory under Slot sent them into the Champions League’s last 16, the Dutchman used his post-match press conference to clarify what he felt was unfair treatment from sections of the media.

Slot had previously said a reduced workload after Liverpool’s last-16 exit to Paris Saint-Germain in last season’s Champions League may have aided their successful pursuit of the Premier League title.

“Can I come back to something I said yesterday… I used the word ‘might,'” Slot began.

“Might, might, but not everyone is listening to [that word]; losing to PSG might have helped us. I meant we did not face injuries after that.

“People want to make my world more ridiculous. This club has been hit harder with injuries.”

Questions had been raised over his comments, given Liverpool were 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League and had only nine games remaining when they lost on penalties to PSG, the eventual European champions.

“Not a little bit, a lot,” Slot then responded when asked if his assessment had been taken out of context.

“I don’t follow all of it, but sometimes you hear certain things. If you give long answers, then they miss a certain word and people start having an opinion about it.

“I have always tried to be myself and give long answers in a different language. I am not going to change, not going to only say yes or no, this is who I am.”

We have qualified for the #UCL last 16 pic.twitter.com/oXSt7SM94E

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 28, 2026

Slot has been unable to hit the same heights following last season’s title success, with Liverpool sixth in the Premier League after going five games without victory.

“That’s for other people to judge,” Slot replied when asked if his achievements deserved more respect. “I think in football, it works the same every time.

“If you are a football player and you don’t play in a team that is losing, then everyone thinks that player on the bench is much, much better than who is playing.

“And it’s a little bit the same with managers. If managers are losing, there are always better managers in and around the world.

“But I think I’ve shown that in the years that I have been a manager, there has not been a season that has not been special.

“There’s still a lot to play for to make this season special as well, but it’s on other people to decide if they want to be negative, not up to me.”