Liverpool manager Arne Slot said teams have sensed the club’s vulnerability and also expect to get a positive result while playing against the defending champions. The Reds haven’t been at their best in the ongoing season as they played a 1-1 draw against Sunderland at Anfield on Wednesday.

After a goalless first half, Chemsdine Talbi scored for the visitors to put them in front. However, Florian Wirtz’s effort deflected off Nordi Mukiele to give one point to the hosts.

After this stalemate, Liverpool are without a win in their last three matches at Anfield across all competitions, after defeats to Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven.

Asked whether he believes the stadium has lost its fear factor for opponents, Slot said: “Not Anfield, for sure, but it is clear that teams who play us now think they can get a result. Not only think, because that has been shown this season. Even in the games we won we fueled the confidence for other teams that there is something possible because the wins we had at the beginning of the season weren’t easy ones as well.”

Slot decided to leave Mohamed Salah on the bench for the second consecutive game, but the Egyptian striker replaced Cody Gakpo at halftime.

Speaking about his decision to bring the forward on in the second half, Slot said: “In my opinion, Cody struggled to dominate the one vs. ones and if you want to have any chance of scoring when they were pressing high, you need a moment of magic or a set piece and Cody struggled to find that moment.

“In the first half, we played Dominik Szoboszlai on the right and I changed to Mo on the right side and Wirtz on the left. We hardly conceded [a chance], but it was difficult to create that moment of magic.”

Liverpool will next take on Leeds United on Saturday.