Liverpool head coach Arne Slot says he has been pleased with how much his players have been supported by the fans inside Anfield and away grounds, despite their current troubles.
Putting an end to a streak of defeats by beating West Ham United at the weekend, there was audible support for Slot throughout the game from the traveling fans. They sang his name loudly at various points in the game.
Before that, Slot's name had been sung at Anfield, too, even with talk about him potentially being fired mounting. The Reds boss will hope that his side can put an end to that in games this week against Sunderland and Leeds United.
"In the start of the game, the fans were so helpful for us at West Ham," Slot told Sky Sports. "And that’s what they’re going to be at Anfield.
"But we have to show up as a team as well, that’s what’s also needed. The better we start the game, the more support we will probably get. But I’ve noticed recently that the tougher the situation we are in, the more support we get from our fans."
Slot has remained calm throughout the difficult spell that his team has faced. However, he needs an upturn in results — which, if he gets, will lead to a quick rise up the table.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot during his side's win at West Ham.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot during his side's win at West Ham. (Image: Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images)
"We have all been tested in recent weeks and yet the supporters have been able to put their own disappointment behind them to push us on," he writes in today's matchday program.
"I knew before I came to Liverpool that our fans had a reputation for this but experiencing it first-hand is genuinely special, although I would much prefer that your loyalty had not been tested the way it has of late.
"In the first half of the game, I heard ‘champions’ being sung from the away end on more than one occasion and that chant captured the kind of defiance that we will continue to need in the days and weeks to come.
"Yes, I know that this song is sung out of pride also because of what we achieved together last season but in the current period it takes on an additional meaning for me — one that helps us to remind ourselves of our own identity and what we stand for.
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"It is no coincidence for me that this kind of defiance in the stands was matched on the pitch.
"At a moment of difficulty, we all stayed together and fought for Liverpool. This is a spirit that can take us a long way, even after a spell that I would be the first to admit has not been good enough.
"The challenge now will be to build on this win. We do not get to believe that a corner has been turned or that a recovery is underway.
"We have to remain humble, work hard and continue to fight. If we do this, then maybe we can continue taking the small steps forward that are very much required."
Liverpool.com says: Slot really needed the three points that he collected against West Ham. He is still the best option for Liverpool, but things will need to improve again in the next few weeks.