Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has urged critics not to rush to conclusions about English clubs in Europe after a difficult week for Premier League sides in the UEFA Champions League.
The gaffer watched his team fall to Galatasaray in Istanbul, while other English representatives also struggled on the continental stage.
Arsenal managed only a draw away at Bayer Leverkusen, and Newcastle United were held 1–1 at home by Barcelona.
Despite the setbacks, Slot believes it would be premature to question the strength of the Premier League based on a single round of fixtures.
“To jump to a conclusion after one game day, I think that is such a small sample size that is never the smartest thing to do because maybe, after next week, we will have a different conclusion,” said Slot.
While discussing possible factors, the Dutch manager acknowledged that the demanding English football calendar could play a role but stopped short of blaming it directly.
“In general, I think it is not helpful for English clubs not to have a winter break, but I am not saying that all these teams have lost because we don’t have a winter break.
“You are facing in the last 16 of Europe good teams and four of the five teams in the Champions League played away from home.
“It is usually an advantage to play at home and a disadvantage to play away.”
He stressed that sweeping judgments about the league’s quality would be misguided at this stage of the competition.
“To jump to conclusions – missing a winter break or the level of the Premier League is not as high as we expected it to be – would be, for me, at this moment in time, not the right conclusion to make.
“Let’s first judge us all after next week and then maybe it is still too early to jump to conclusions.”
Slot’s immediate concern, however, lies with Liverpool’s own form after suffering two defeats in their last three matches.
Next up is a crucial clash at Anfield against Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs arrive in poor form themselves, having endured a six-match losing streak and a heavy defeat to Atletico Madrid earlier in the week.
Historically, Tottenham have struggled at Anfield, winning only six league games at the stadium and just one of their last 31 visits.
Slot acknowledged the club’s proud home record and the expectations that come with it.
“There is a big difference between where we are now and where we were then but it is a great memory.
“I think if Tottenham would be number one in the league at the moment, every fan would expect us to win at home.
“Every game this club plays at home we are expected to win.
“That has nothing to do with the form of the other team or where they are in the league or the quality they have.”
The Liverpool boss added that the club’s history naturally brings high expectations.
“We can win our 1,500th [league game] at home. Expectations come from history and history has shown this club has been able to win a lot of games, let alone home games.
“It doesn’t matter who we face. Expectations are always sky high at this club and that is what we are embracing because that also means this club is able to win things, and that’s what we’ve done in the past few years and in their history as well.”
Meanwhile, the Reds are hopeful that goalkeeper Alisson Becker will recover in time for the upcoming match after missing the midweek trip due to a minor muscle issue.
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