Arne Slot has insisted that Anfield has not lost its ‘fear factor’ amid Liverpool’s poor run of form on home soil.
Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw by newly-promoted Sunderland on Wednesday night, extending their winless run in home fixtures to three games in all competitions.
After heavy home defeats by Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven in recent weeks, Sunderland sought to become the latest team to win at Liverpool and impressed. The Black Cats twice hit the woodwork, while only a goal-line clearance from Federico Chiesa late on prevented Sunderland from snatching the points.
The visitors had led through Chemsdine Talbi’s deflected effort, but Liverpool levelled when Florian Wirtz’s wayward effort diverted in off Nordi Mukiele for an own goal.
At full-time, Slot was asked whether Liverpool have lost their fear factor when it comes to playing at Anfield.
“No, not Anfield. For sure. But it’s clear that teams that play us now think they can get a result. Not only think, because that has been shown this season. And even in the games we’ve won, they also fuelled the confidence for other teams like, ‘Hmm, something is possible’ because the wins we had at the beginning of the season weren’t easy ones as well.
“I don’t completely agree with you that they grew into the game. I think throughout the whole second half there was only one team that had the ball and only one team that was playing on one half. But yeah, if they got a free-kick off the referee or they had a goal-kick, they could bring it to our half with a long ball.
“And we had to defend three or four times a set-piece and a throw-in and a corner kick. And of course, that is a danger with them. They have shown this season that they are a threat in set-pieces.
“The good thing for us is we didn’t concede from a set-piece. Maybe as a result, we got at least a point.”
