Liverpool manager Arne Slot was left disappointed following the Reds 3-2 defeat away at Fulham on Sunday.
The Cottagers staged a first-half comeback to stun Slot’s side after Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring with a brilliant long-range strike.
Ryan Sessegnon volleyed Fulham level before Alex Iwobi profited from a defensive mistake to give them the lead. Rodrigo Muniz then gave them some breathing space with another fine finish, all within 15 minutes.
A much-improved Liverpool searched for a way back, with substitute Luis Diaz offering them hope by reducing the deficit, but they could not find a late equaliser.
“I think especially 15 minutes of the first half. I saw also parts before we conceded or before we conceded the second one [that were] normal parts for us. I saw some very good build-up situations, the way we positioned ourselves. So, it wasn’t 45 minutes of disaster but the errors we made I think are something we are not used to, and that’s something different than playing poorly, in my opinion,” said Slot.
Slot admitted that he was disappointed by the errors Liverpool made in the defeat.
“Yes, of course, but not only me – the players themselves, the teammates, the fans. But one of the reasons why we are in the position we are in is we don’t make a lot of mistakes and if we do players try to make up for them. Now, this is also what we tried to do with the second goal but, unfortunately, instead of the ball being deflected [and] going behind, it went into the goal.
“This can happen, especially if you play a good team like Fulham. If you make mistakes, they have the quality to punish us. I think in the end [in the] second half we created so many chances that we could have made up for it. But we lacked time, especially in the end, because in the first 20 minutes of the second half it didn’t feel to me as if we could score a goal. But in the last 20 to 25 minutes, I think it was clear for everyone that we could score the third. That’s why actual playing time wasn’t the most in the last 25 minutes,” added Slot.
Liverpool remain 11 points ahead of Arsenal, while Fulham move up to eighth, having provided a major boost to their European hopes.
