‘What we stand for’ – Arne Slot loved what Liverpool supporters sang during victory over West Ham | OneFootball

Arne Slot has voiced his appreciation of one particular chant from Liverpool supporters at the London Stadium during the 2-0 victory over West Ham on Sunday.

The Reds went into the match off a dreadful run of nine defeats in 12 games, but a solid team performance saw them claim all three points against the Irons and move up to eighth in the Premier League table, just four points behind second-placed Manchester City.

Despite a nightmare autumn which led to some media speculating whether the axe would fall on the Dutchman, the travelling Kopites made their support for the head coach known by chanting his name in appreciation in Stratford yesterday.

Slot touched by Liverpool fans’ chant

In his programme notes for Liverpool’s home match against Sunderland on Wednesday night (via Calameo), Slot expressed his pride at hearing the away fans singing of the Reds being ‘champions’ during the win at West Ham.

The 47-year-old wrote: “In the first half of the game, I heard ‘champions’ being sung from the away end on more than one occasion, and that chant captured the kind of defiance that we will continue to need in the days and weeks to come.

“Yes, I know that this song is sung out of pride also because of what we achieved together last season, but in the current period it takes on an additional meaning for me – one that helps us to remind ourselves of our own identity and what we stand for.

“It is no coincidence for me that this kind of defiance in the stands was matched on the pitch. At a moment of difficulty we all stayed together and fought for Liverpool. This is a spirit that can take us a long way even after a spell that I would be the first to admit has not been good enough.”

(Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Most Liverpool fans continue to back Slot despite slump in form

For all the problems Liverpool have endured over the past two months, they’re still the reigning Premier League champions; and while that status will likely be taken from them towards the end of the season, supporters are absolutely right to revel in it for the time being.

Aside from a handful of home games when social distancing restrictions were briefly eased, they didn’t get the chance to do so in 2020/21, and a run of six straight Anfield defeats during that campaign showed how much the Reds missed the backing of their people.

Slot’s words also lay bare just how much he appreciates the continued support of match-going LFC fans amid a hugely difficult spell for him, with many outside the club questioning whether he’d be in charge for much longer.

One win doesn’t completely lift the pressure off the Dutchman, who’ll be under no illusions that his team need to follow up yesterday’s result with a prolonged sequence of victories.

However, when many other fan bases might’ve discernibly turned on the man in the dugout after a period like Liverpool have had, the vast majority of Kopites have stuck by the 47-year-old, who can hopefully inspire a winning run which’ll render the past two months as nothing more than a chilling memory.

You can watch Slot’s full post-West Ham press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube: