Arne Slot Admits Liverpool Are “Fueling Confidence” in Opponents After Sunderland Stalemate

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has acknowledged that his side have lost their aura of invincibility, admitting that opponents now arrive at Anfield believing they can take points, following a disappointing 1–1 draw against Sunderland on Wednesday night.

The Premier League champions, who have now gone three successive home matches without a win, needed a Nordi Mukiele own goal to salvage a point after falling behind to Chemsdine Talbi’s deflected opener. Sunderland, without a league victory at Anfield since 1983, came agonisingly close to claiming a historic win when Wilson Isidor’s stoppage-time effort was cleared off the line by Federico Chiesa.

Liverpool’s early-season form, which saw them win their first five league fixtures, has since unravelled. They have managed just two victories in their last nine Premier League outings.

“Teams that play us now think they can get a result,” Slot admitted. “Not only think — they have shown it this season. Even the games we have won, we have fuelled confidence in other teams because those wins were far from comfortable.”

Whatever momentum had been gained from Sunday’s 2–0 victory at West Ham evaporated quickly as Liverpool once again struggled for rhythm and threat in the final third.

Mohamed Salah was named on the bench for the second straight fixture, but high-profile summer signings Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak — both signed for fees exceeding £100 million — again failed to justify their sizeable price tags. Salah came on at half-time but found little joy against Sunderland’s disciplined defensive structure.

Slot admitted he anticipated a difficult encounter:
“I knew before the game that Sunderland are difficult to score against and difficult to create chances against,” he said. “We didn’t concede a lot and we didn’t create a lot either. We were really unlucky with the goal we conceded; it was a deflection and could have gone anywhere. But in the period we are in, it went in.”

Liverpool, who had been expected to push on after last season’s title-winning campaign, now face significant pressure to address their loss of form as they look to regain momentum in a tightening title race.