Liverpool boss Arne Slot has reacted to suggestions that Diogo Jota’s death has contributed to the Reds’ poor start to their season.
Andrew Robertson’s emotional comments after Scotland qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1998 rekindled that feeling among observers, who believe the death of a close teammate cannot be overlooked.
The defending Premier League champions have suffered seven defeats in their last 10 matches across all competitions, with the Merseyside giants recording five losses in 11 top-flight games.
This form leaves the Reds eighth in the table, with their five defeats already surpassing last season’s league total of four.
Now, Slot has declined to attribute the club’s declining performances and results to the player’s passing.
Liverpool form: Jota's death "not an excuse"
Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva have tragically passed away
Speaking ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest, the Dutch manager acknowledged that the Reds miss the late Portuguese forward; however, he stopped short of attributing their poor results to the tragic death in July.
"I saw the interview live and I know that it is an issue for us, which is completely normal,” said Slot on Friday via Sky Sports News. "I think it is good for us to remind ourselves of him every time possible because of the person and player he was.
"But it is impossible to measure what it does to the players and then to measure what it does to our results.
"The last thing I would do is use it as an excuse because I simply don't know. What I do know is we miss the player, that is 100 per cent sure, and we also miss the person.
"But I cannot measure what impact that has on our performances, let alone results. That is impossible to say. We will never use it as an excuse because that doesn't feel right.”
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Slot’s team are effectively facing multiple challenges across every position from goalkeeper to striker.
Alisson Becker’s latest injury has left Liverpool without their first-choice goalkeeper, throwing Giorgi Mamardashvili into the deep end to fill the void.
The Reds’ defensive balance has also been tested after Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure to Real Madrid, with Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong not providing the right balance.
The form of Ibrahima Konate at centre-back has also not helped Liverpool’s cause, as Slot’s team could not acquire Marc Guehi in the summer, and teenage signing Giovanni Leoni suffered a long-term ACL injury after joining the club.
Further forward, Mohamed Salah’s form has been a major concern, while new signings Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak have yet to adapt to their new surroundings.
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