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Arne Slot sends message about Anfield atmosphere after Liverpool fans spotted leaving early

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Arne Slot heaped praise on the Liverpool fans at Anfield after some were spotted leaving early during their Carabao Cup defeat to Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

The under-fire Dutchman does not believe Liverpool’s sixth loss in seven matches has increased the pressure on his team ahead of this weekend’s clash with Aston Villa. The Premier League champions won seven straight matches in all competitions as they bounced back from their shoot-out loss to Crystal Palace in the Community Shield.

But that run came to a halt with a late defeat to the Eagles at Selhurst Park a month ago, sending the Reds into a spiral that they have yet to climb out of.

Palace got the better of Liverpool for the third time this season in Wednesday’s 3-0 Carabao Cup fourth round win at Anfield as Slot’s decision to leave out stars and make 10 changes backfired.

Joe Gomez, Wataru Endo and Alexis Mac Allister were the first-team players deployed in a team of mostly youngsters, but the senior stars were some of Liverpool's lowest rated players against Palace.

Fans were spotted leaving the stadium as early as the 70th minute, but the Dutchman said he had no regrets and brushed aside the suggestion it had increased the pressure heading into Saturday’s return to Premier League action at home to Villa, with Man City and Real Madrid also to come in the next ten days.

“I don’t think it’s possible if you lose five out of six that there’s now after six out of seven even more pressure,” Slot said.

“If you’re on a run of results like this, if you play for Liverpool, if you manage Liverpool, you know the pressure is there and I don’t think it has changed much after this loss.

“But if it did then maybe the most positive thing about tonight was that the position we were in, 2-0 down and we weren’t really pushing for a goal because we weren’t able to, the fans were behind the team, were supporting us.

“That gives me the feeling that Saturday when our players will show how much it means to them, our fans will be incredibly supportive for us Saturday.

“But, again, we face a team that has rested in the week to play us, and that’s Villa.”

Liverpool could be boosted by the return of midfielder Ryan Gravenberch against Villa following an ankle issue, but British record signing Alexander Isak remains a doubt with to a groin complaint.