Slot says Liverpool will never use Jota grief as 'excuse' for poor form / Photo: Darren Staples - AFP/File
-
Pupils, teachers kidnapped from Catholic school in central Nigeria
-
Guardiola says 'season starts now' as Man City hunt Arsenal
-
Mercedes chief Wolff sells part of team stake to US businessman
-
Ubisoft shares surge as trading resumes after results 'restatement'
-
Olympic ski champion Gut-Behrami suffers knee injury
-
Ukraine cornered by US plan heeding Russian demands
-
Europe increasingly 'vulnerable' to shocks: ECB chief
-
Slot says Liverpool will never use Jota grief as 'excuse' for poor form
-
Aussie Wilson 'devastated' after Gordon ruled out of France Test
-
Ken Follett: 'There can't be boring bits in my books'
-
Wales rugby turmoil here to stay as nostalgia battles financial reality
-
Frida Kahlo painting sells for $54.7 mn in record for female artist
-
Thailand's last hunter-gatherers seek land rights
-
Tech firms lead stock rout as AI bubble fears linger
-
World's biggest nuclear plant edges closer to restart
-
India's injured Gill out of must-win second South Africa Test
-
Japan's eel delicacy faces global conservation pressure
-
Starc takes seven as England rolled for 172 in Ashes opener
-
New York's incoming leftist mayor to face off with Trump
-
Fossil fuel showdown looms on UN climate summit's final day
-
Japan's Takaichi insists $135 bn stimulus fiscally 'responsible'
-
Norris tops red-flagged second practice for Las Vegas GP
-
Miss Mexico wins Miss Universe contest after host insult drama
-
Texans sack Allen eight times to beat Bills 23-19
-
Rusty France face 'tired' Australia at end of torrid year
-
Dortmund host new nemesis Stuttgart with title hopes slipping away
-
Munster tragedy 'life-changing' for Springbok coach Erasmus
-
Starc on fire as England slump to 105-4 at lunch in Ashes opener
-
Taiwan issues 'crisis' guide on preparing for disasters, Chinese attack
-
Washington's abandoned embassies have stories to tell
-
Maxey powers Sixers over Bucks as Spurs beat Hawks
-
Barca hoping Camp Nou return can spark Liga title defence
-
All Blacks bid to bounce back for season-ender against struggling Wales
-
Pogba set for long-awaited comeback as Ligue 1 returns
-
Inter and Milan in early Scudetto clash as Napoli attempt to bounce back
-
How England revived their rugby fortunes
-
A big deal: Robert Therrien's huge sculptures on show in LA
-
In U-turn, US rights report to track gender changes, DEI
-
Afghanistan seeks new trade routes as Pakistan ties sour
-
Iranian director Jafar Panahi ramps up French Oscars campaign
-
Cuba battles virus outbreak despite shortages of food, medicine
-
30-plus nations oppose COP30 draft over fossil fuel omission: Colombia
-
Tech firms lead Asian stock rout as AI bubble fears linger
-
Ukraine would give Russia chunk of territory under 28-point US plan
-
England win toss, bat in first Ashes Test
-
Teen saving India's ponds says everyone can be a leader
-
Frida Kahlo painting auctions for $54.6 mn, record for woman artist
-
Arsenal brace for Spurs clash without Gabriel, Man City in pursuit
-
Scramble for Sudan's resources fuels brutal civil war
-
Livestream giant Twitch to ban under-16s in Australia
NYSE - LSE
Slot says Liverpool will never use Jota grief as 'excuse' for poor form
Arne Slot said on Friday that Liverpool would never use their grief over the death of Diogo Jota "as an excuse" for bad results as he seeks to arrest a shocking run of five defeats in six Premier League games.
Forward Jota, a father of three, was killed in a car crash in Spain in July, alongside his brother Andre Silva, with Liverpool retiring the number 20 shirt in his honour.
The champions started the season with seven straight wins in all competitions but are now eight points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal after their dramatic slump.
Liverpool defender Andy Robertson said he could not get Jota "out of my head" in the hours before Scotland's World Cup qualifying decider against Denmark this week, which they won.
Slot was asked on the eve of Liverpool's home match against Nottingham Forest whether his team were being judged fairly, given the raw emotion over Jota's death.
"I think we are always judged, sometimes fair, sometimes unfair, but I saw the interview (with Robertson) as well, live, and I know that it is an issue for us, which is, I think, completely normal," said the Liverpool boss.
"But then, at these moments in time, I always think about how much it feels for his wife and his children, because that's so, so, so, so much harder for them than it is for us. But that we miss the player and the person, that is completely clear."
Slot said it was impossible to properly assess the impact of Jota's death on performances or results.
"That's impossible for me to say and we will never use it as an excuse because that doesn't feel right," he added.
Goalkeeper Allison Becker is fit again after weeks on the sidelines but Conor Bradley and Florian Wirtz will miss the Forest match with muscle problems.
Slot, whose team are eighth in the Premier League, said that he was not thinking about Liverpool's title defence.
"Actually, we didn't do this last season as well, when we were top of the league," said the Dutchman. "It's just about the next game.
"And I've said many times last season, and I say this season again as well, the best way to judge a league table is after 38 games, but the next best thing, in my opinion, is after 19 games."
M.Thompson--AMWN
