Liverpool boss Arne Slot addressed the media before Saturday’s trip to Aston Villa, offering fitness updates and a bullish defence of his players and approach. He stressed he remains “completely happy” with the squad and the club’s strategy despite the recent run of defeats.
Team news: Gravenberch in frame, Jones out
Ryan Gravenberch trained on Thursday and is available, with a late call to determine if he starts. Alexander Isak and Curtis Jones have not trained and Slot is “99.9%” sure they will not be in the squad.
Squad size, injuries and no excuses
Slot reiterated his preference for a 21–22 player group, noting the challenge has been keeping them fit. He cited limited pre-seasons, injuries and tight turnarounds—“a lot of away games with only two days’ rest”—but refused to use those as excuses for results.
Tactics and clean sheets: adapt but don’t abandon
While insisting Liverpool aren’t conceding chance after chance, Slot said he’s willing to adapt in-game and has done so in big wins (e.g., at City). He doesn’t see a reason to “totally” change the style but accepts they must execute better defensively.
Contract chatter parked; focus on results
Asked about potential renewal talks, Slot brushed it off: his priority is getting Liverpool winning again, not discussing contracts publicly.
Respect for Villa and optimism for the week
Slot praised Villa’s clear playing style and resilience after a slow start, calling the Premier League “tough” with most teams tightly bunched outside Arsenal. He remains optimistic: the squad’s quality and chance creation are, in his view, enough to fight for their targets.
