Liverpool manager Arne Slot believes his side need to be “close to perfection” for the rest of the season in order to secure European football next season.

Slot believes he needs to achieve Champions league football for this season to be an acceptable one.

His side sit at sixth in the league table, five points behind fourth, and travel to the Stadium of Light tomorrow (February 11th) to take on league new-comers Sunderland.

Sunderland are currently the only team in the Premier League who remain unbeaten at home, and are currently only three points behind Liverpool.

Slot said: “To close the gap between third, fourth and fifth, we have to win a lot, and that’s not what we’ve done this season.

“We have to be better and come close to perfection.”

Slot branded this season as his toughest yet “by a mile” and admitted that his side are not performing to the standards of Liverpool at the moment.

But he believes there is still a possibility of his side achieving something special this season.

However, the Liverpool boss thinks his side have been unlucky so far this campaign, after conceding a number of late goals and suffering from multiple injuries, with the right back position looking bare for the Reds.

When asked about potentially playing Calvin Ramsey, a natural right back, against Sunderland, Slot said: “When you don’t win, players who are not playing become the best players in the squad.

“I’ve had to change many positions, not just right back.”

Dominik Szoboszlai, who had filled in at right back is suspended for the game after picking up a red card in Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.

Joe Gomez is also unavailable for the game but is expected to train today for the first time since his injury.

(featured image allowed under Alamy Licence)

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR