Slot confident Isak and Salah understanding will come as Liverpool lose again

Arne Slot has no concerns over Alexander Isak's failure to strike up an immediate understanding with Mohamed Salah, after Chelsea inflicted Liverpool's third straight defeat.

The Reds travelled to Stamford Bridge off the back of losses to Crystal Palace and Galatasaray in the Premier League and Champions League respectively, and they were unable to arrest their slide in west London.

Slot's Premier League champions appeared set to push on when Cody Gakpo cancelled out Moises Caicedo's first-half thunderbolt, but Estevao struck in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time to condemn them to a 2-1 defeat.

This is the first time Slot has suffered three straight losses in his managerial career, while Liverpool are now winless in five league visits to Chelsea (three draws, two losses).

British-record signing Isak endured another quiet outing up front, only attempting one shot worth 0.12 expected goals (xG).

Salah, meanwhile, created four chances for team-mates with one of those falling to Isak, but the Swede headed comfortably over the crossbar after being picked out by his smart cross late in the first half.

Neither Salah nor Isak have scored a Premier League goal while on the pitch together for Liverpool, but Slot is confident they will strike up a partnership in time.

"The more they play, the more they will connect. We had to do better in the first half," he said in his post-match press conference.

"It was another disappointing loss, that's clear. In the first half, we didn't play our best football, but we created three big chances.

"In the second half, we created more than enough to score more than one. In the last 10 minutes, it was end-to-end. Both teams could have won it. We didn't, Chelsea did."

Liverpool's defensive record has come under the spotlight this season, with the Reds winning several goal-laden games in the early weeks of the campaign.

They have conceded three times as many Premier League goals as Arsenal (nine to three) in 2025-26, with Saturday's defeat ensuring the Gunners will spend the international break above them at the top of the table.

But Slot believes it is unrealistic to suggest that any visiting team can completely restrict Chelsea. 

"There are gaps if you play like we play, and with the style they play," he added. "But it's no surprise that both teams will play through the press. 

"They had a lot of injuries, but still had players to bring quality from the bench. It's unrealistic to expect them not to play through the press."

Liverpool played much of the second half with only one recognised centre-back on the pitch after Ibrahima Konate was substituted in the 56th minute, with the Frenchman heading straight down the tunnel and Ryan Gravenberch filling in at the back.

Slot is hopeful Konate has avoided a serious injury, however, with the Reds having already lost new centre-back Giovanni Leoni to an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

"I don't know if it is a big injury. He limped a little bit. I asked him, and he felt his quad," the head coach said. 

"It was a substitution I already had in mind because the right centre-back had a lot of possession, and we needed to create from that position. Ryan is quite good at that. It might be okay if he went off early enough."