Liverpool manager Arne Slot has expressed confidence that Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak will soon find their rhythm in attack despite the team suffering a last-minute 2-1 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The loss marked Liverpool’s third consecutive defeat in all competitions, dropping them to second place behind Arsenal.
Slot remained optimistic about the developing partnership between his two attacking stars, insisting that time and consistency will lead to improvement. “The more they play together, the more they will connect,” he said, emphasizing the importance of patience as new players adjust following a busy summer transfer window. The Dutch coach admitted that limited training time has affected cohesion but maintained that his squad remains competitive.
Liverpool’s defeat came after an eventful match in which Moisés Caicedo gave Chelsea an early lead. Cody Gakpo equalised for the visitors in the second half, but a stoppage-time strike from 17-year-old Brazilian forward Estêvão Willian secured all three points for Chelsea. The result pushed Enzo Maresca’s side to sixth place, while Liverpool were left to rue missed opportunities.
Slot defended Salah, who endured a frustrating evening in front of goal, missing several chances to put Liverpool ahead. “What I like is that we brought him into the right positions,” Slot explained. “He’s proven throughout his career that he can score from there. He’s a human being, and not every chance becomes a goal, but we know what he’s capable of.”
The Liverpool boss also addressed the team’s recent struggles in front of goal, noting that a lack of clinical finishing cost them against both Chelsea and Crystal Palace. “In both games, we created more chances than our opponents,” he said. “But we’ve scored only once in each, and they’ve scored twice. That’s the difference.”
Defensive concerns also emerged when Ibrahima Konaté limped off with a thigh injury, forcing Slot to reshuffle his backline. Despite the setback, Liverpool dominated large parts of the game but were undone by Estêvão’s late winner, which triggered jubilant scenes from the Chelsea bench.
Liverpool will look to regroup after the international break when they host Manchester United at Anfield, aiming to rediscover their sharpness and restore momentum in the title race.
