BRIGHTON, England, March 21 (Reuters) - Liverpool manager Arne Slot feels no added pressure after his side slipped to a 2-1 Premier League defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, the first time the Anfield club have lost 10 league games in a season since the 2015-16 campaign.
Brighton outplayed the visitors in their win at the Amex Stadium that left champions Liverpool with a single point from their last nine available.
While they remained in fifth place in the table, it is form that has allowed others to close in on them and put their place in jeopardy.
"There is always pressure at Liverpool. On me, on the players. That is completely normal," Slot told TNT Sports. "We have qualified for the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and the Champions League but in the league we need to make sure that in the end, we qualify for the Champions League.
"As much as I dislike us losing here, Brighton away will always be a difficult one as long as they keep bringing in so many good players.
“But there are other games where we should have picked up more points, like last week against Tottenham. That is far more unacceptable than this. But even away at Brighton, a club like Liverpool should be able to get a result."
Slot admitted his side have struggled after European matches having this week dispatched Galatasaray 4-0 in the Champions League.
"It is clear that we have lost a lot of points after playing in Europe. I have tried to explain a lot of times already why this is but we also have to give credit to Brighton. In the second half, they were the better team," he said.
Slot also bemoaned his side’s injury luck, losing forward Mohamed Salah and goalkeeper Alisson before the game, and striker Hugo Ekitike inside the first few minutes.
"Him going off and not being able to help the team, it is just a bit of bad luck," Slot said.
"It is not like he will be out for three months but it was bad enough that he wasn't able to continue. It was a blow for him and a blow for us."
(Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Ed Osmond)
