Arne Slot may have caused problems for himself by claiming an early Champions League exit inspired Liverpool's Premier League title.
Speaking ahead of the Reds' final league phase clash against Qarabag at Anfield, Slot said: "This is not going to be a popular opinion but maybe the reason we won the league last season is that we had to play Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16, because they beat us and we had a [full] week every time to prepare for our next game.
Liverpool's players look dejected after losing to Bournemouth
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Liverpool are winless from their last five Premier League fixturesCredit: Getty
"Maybe that helped us. Every manager is aware that the bigger squad you have, the better equipped you are for so many games."
However, Slot's statement left talkSPORT's chief live football anchor Adrian Durham 'baffled' and predicted some serious questions could be asked of the Liverpool boss following the Qarabag match.
Adrian Durham left perplexed by Slot’s claim
"I just think it's a really odd one," Durham said on talkSPORT Breakfast.
"I can't make sense of it.
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“I’ve actually got to watch it back because I just need to understand exactly what he was trying to say.
“Liverpool should be cruising tonight at home to Qarabag. It should be an absolute cruise for them to secure that top eight place.
“I really think really strongly that they will get the result tonight. It’s just what impacts Arne Slot’s press conference might or might not have, not just on the players, but on the fans at Anfield this evening.
"I was listening to the Sports Bar last night and there were one or two calls about Arne Slot and they're baffled by it and I am as well.
“So let’s see what happens because I think there might be fallout from what he said.”
Liverpool sit fourth in the Champions League table with 15 points going into the final fixture of the league phase.
Arne Slot looks on during a press conference
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Durham couldn't wrap his head around Slot's claim that last season's Champions League exit boosted their title hopesCredit: Getty
However, a shock loss to Qarabag could drop them into the knockout play-offs as there are five teams placed between 9th and 13th who are on 13 points.
An extra two fixtures added to the calendar would not be welcome news for Slot, given his squad is stretched enough as it is.
Liverpool's squad is stretched to the limit
Defensive duo Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are out for the season with long-term injuries, while Slot is hopeful record signing Alexander Isak will return in the back end of the campaign.
Joe Gomez, who has endured plenty of injuries over the years, sustained a hip issue in the Reds' 3-2 loss to Bournemouth and won’t be fit for the Qarabag match, although Slot anticipates he won’t be sidelined for long.
Slot will also be without Ibrahima Konate on Wednesday evening, although he is absent on compassionate leave following the passing of his father.
It means Wataru Endo, a defensive midfielder, is likely to moonlight as a centre-back for Liverpool alongside Virgil van Dijk for the Qarabag match.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot
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The Reds boss will be without a number of key players in the second half of the seasonCredit: Getty
Amid a growing injury list and fixtures coming thick and fast, given Liverpool are competing on three fronts, Slot launched a passionate defence of his players amid their workload.
"I want to emphasise how much respect I have for the players that we have, because it's almost constantly the same players that have to play and they have to do this in difficult circumstances," Slot said.
"What I mean by that is results are not what we want and we get scrutinised - we all are scrutinised - and we get the criticism that we deserve.
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"But usually if you get so much criticism, that does something to you mentally and if you then have to play so many minutes, I can give you multiple examples of players then getting injured.
"So, that’s why I have so much respect for my players, that within the circumstances that we are in, they are constantly available, except for the three or four long-term injuries we have."