Steve Gerrard has given his thoughts on Liverpool’s current situation. (Image: Getty Images)
Although he was at the City Ground rather than Anfield, Steven Gerrard’s disappointment at Liverpool wasting yet another point was clear. The 1-1 draw with Burnley meant the Reds made history as the first reigning Premier League champions to fail to beat any of the three promoted clubs at home in a single season.
This follows a 0-0 and 1-1 draw with Leeds against Sunderland. The result extended Liverpool’s unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 games, 10 of which were league matches, but there was little reason to celebrate. In fact, when the final whistle rang, the fans’ dissatisfaction could be clearly heard.
Legendary Reds midfielder Gerrard was not present to hear the boos, but was a commentator on TNT Sport’s live broadcast of leaders Arsenal’s 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest and said the result was “unacceptable”.
The 45-year-old admitted that “a lot of criticism” would be directed at Arne Slott, but Gerrard’s comments surprisingly ended in support of his head coach.
He said Slott “deserves credit” for halting the downward spiral after his team suffered nine consecutive defeats in 12 games and were eliminated from the Carabao Cup, effectively ending their hopes of defending their title.
The Reds’ top league objective now appears to be securing a top-four finish. They currently sit in fourth place, just one point behind Manchester United, two points above Chelsea and three points above Brentford and Sunderland.
Gerrard expressed his disappointment: “That’s not acceptable. With all due respect, we drew at home to Burnley. If you’re criticizing the Liverpool team, even though they had the advantage in terms of unbeaten games, they drew at home to the likes of Leeds and Burnley. That’s unacceptable.”
“Again there will be a lot of criticism on the manager, but give him credit. Last time we spoke about this, he asked me if the team was in crisis and I said I didn’t think the team was in crisis because I felt the manager had the ability to turn things around and steady the ship.”
“He took the team from mid-table to the Champions League.
Arne Slott has faced some backlash this season. (Image: Getty Images)
“I think it will be a priority for him and the team to at least finish in the top four this season, but that won’t in any way insulate him from the criticism that will befall him.”
Slott, who led the Reds to the title in his debut season, dealt with boos at full-time after the match, in which Burnley managed to secure a point with Marcus Edwards’ 65th-minute equaliser, canceling out Florian Wirtz’s excellent first-half goal.
This result did little to help the Clarets, second in the bottom of the table, in their fight for survival. Their winning streak in the Premier League has now stretched to 13 games, with Forest, who are fourth and bottom, keeping a clean sheet against Arsenal, leaving them with eight points at stake.
Slott said: “In my head it wasn’t boos, it was in my head. It was frustration too. We’re Liverpool and we’re playing Burnley, but you have to give them credit for their defense and for keeping the ball off the line. “That’s all the things a Burnley manager would want to see, the players are trying everything to prevent us from scoring.”
“But as a Liverpool player, if we’re not disappointed after drawing at home to Burnley, then something is completely wrong. I completely understand that frustration. I’m the same and the players definitely have the same frustration as the fans.”
The Reds play a crucial Champions League clash in Marseille on Wednesday, before returning to top-flight duties with a trip to Bournemouth on Saturday.
