Arne Slot has admitted he was frustrated to see Liverpool drop points at home to Sunderland and concedes opposing sides are now coming to Anfield confident of getting a result.
The Reds required a late Nordi Mukiele own goal to earn a 1-1 draw against the Black Cats.
The result left Liverpool eighth in the Premier League table. And while they avoided a 10th defeat from their last 14 matches, the Reds have won only two of their last seven games at home.
Speaking after the final whistle, Slot dismissed claims that Anfield is losing its ‘fear factor’ as he insisted a point was the least his side deserved on another frustrating night.
“No, not Anfield for sure,” the Reds head coach said (via Liverpool Echo). “But it is clear that teams who play us now think they can get a result.
“Not only think because it’s been shown this season. Even in the games we’ve won, I think they also fuelled the confidence for other teams because they think there is something possible because the wins we had at the beginning of the season weren’t easy ones as well.
“I feel a bit of both (pleased and frustrated). I knew before the game, when you play Sunderland, from their 14 games they have played now they only conceded more than one goal four times and in these four games they have only conceded two.
“So it is hard team to score against. It is a hard team to create chances against.
“They either go really aggressive in a high press or they have 11 players who defend their box with their lives. That’s why it’s so difficult to create.
“In that aspect I was hoping for more but I knew how difficult it is to create against them. We have hardly conceded the first big chance.
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“I don’t count the one that hit the bar because that was not a chance, but the first was from a set piece that hit the post. And then their goal is not even a chance.
“If that is a chance we have had 20 chances but unfortunately a deflection led to us going 1-0 down.
“In recent games we have found it really hard to get an equaliser although we had our chances every time.
“We have had a bit of luck with scoring 1-1 because it was also a deflection. For me it’s different because that is a shot from eight, nine yards, 10 so that is a serious chance.”
