‘To support someone when he’s successful is much easier’ – Slot thanks ‘special’ Liverpool fans after win over West Ham | OneFootball

Arne Slot praised the “special” support he received from the Liverpool fans after his side returned to winning ways with victory over West Ham.

Pressure had been mounting on the Reds boss following a run of nine defeats in 12 games in all competitions, but Alexander Isak’s first Premier League goal and a late strike from Cody Gakpo ensured he picked up a much needed victory.

Liverpool fans chanted Slot’s name throughout and on their support, the Dutchman said: “It says a lot about the club and about the fans. They were not only supportive for me, but for the whole team.

“I think if you have such a run of form that we are having, and you have an away game, and the away end is so full and supports the team from start to finish, including me indeed, that’s special, not only after the 1-0, already a 0-0 from start to finish. 

“It tells you that this club is always together, but maybe even more in difficult moments. Then they probably appreciate even more what you’ve done for the club and the support you’ve done. I think that’s what makes a club special as well. To support someone when he’s successful is much easier than to support someone or a team or an individual when things are as tough as they are now.”

Slot added that while not perfect, there were improvements in his team’s performance that he is pleased with.

“In terms of results, it is of course very good,” he said. “But there were also a few things similar to other games of ours, and a few things that were different. 

“So the things that were similar were that, again, we couldn’t score our first chances. The good thing was that today, for the first time in many, many, many games, the first chance of the opponent didn’t go in as well.

“It’s happened so many times to us that the first chance the other team gets goes in, and then you get a completely different game, as we saw so many times now. Not conceding a set-piece, actually maybe scoring from one because it came from a long throw. It took a while, but these are things that are so important if you want to win a game of football. 

“Yes, people will probably say you had more control or you didn’t concede as much, but it’s quite a difference if you go 1-0 down after five minutes and you have to change the game. Or you’re 0-0, you’re controlling the game, and after 1-0 you can control it even more.”