SLOT KNOWS HIS LIVERPOOL AREN'T UP TO SCRATCH

ARNE Slot conceded on Tuesday that his span is “not performing to the standards of Liverpool” and need to be nearly perfect for the remainder of the season just to qualify for the Champions League.

The defending English champions sit sixth in the Premier League, outside a place in the top five, which is likely to secure Champions League football for next season.

The Reds conceded twice in a dramatic finale to lose 2-1 to Manchester City on Sunday, but it is a wider trend that is most concerning for Slot

Liverpool have won just six of their last 20 league games dating back to September and only one of seven in 2026.

Slot wysed in his pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday's 10.15pm trip to Sunderland: “They know what the standards of Liverpool mean, and we are not performing to the standards of Liverpool at the moment, and they feel that disappointment.”

Leaders Arsenal and City are expected to battle it out to win the title, leaving three more places in the Champions League from four likely contenders.

Aston Villa, Manchester United and Chelsea are ahead of Liverpool.

Slot added: “To close the gap to numbers three, four and five, that means you have to win a lot and that is not what we have done this season. That is why that has to be better and that is why we have to be close to perfection.”

Dominik Szoboszlai's suspension for a red card against City creates another selection dilemma for Slot.

The Hungarian has filled in at right-back in recent weeks with both Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong out injured.

Joe Gomez has only just returned to training so one of midfielders Curtis Jones or Wataru Endo are set to start in defence against a Sunderland span which boast the only undefeated home record in the league this season.

Wednesday's Premier League fixtures:

Forest v Wolves, Villa v Brighton, Palace v Burnley, Man City v Fulham (all 9.30pm)