Slot wants high note to end poor Liverpool season
Arne Slot said his Liverpool team knows what it needs to do in its final Premier League game of the season against Brentford with UEFA Champions League qualification on the line.
Liverpool has endured an underwhelming campaign in Slot's second season in charge, with the Reds fifth and not yet assured of a spot in UEFA's flagship competition.
It does, however, have it in its own hands. A win or draw will be enough to clinch a top-five finish, but defeat to Brentford, which is also aiming to seal a place in Europe, could have the Reds nervously checking other results on Monday (AEST).
Bournemouth could still finish fifth if it wins away to Nottingham Forest, although Andoni Iroala's side would need a significant seven-goal swing to go in its favour, but it could still reach the UEFA Champions League places if Aston Villa finishes fifth after ts UEFA Europa League success in midweek.
It has been reported this week that Slot still faces the possibility of being replaced in the summer, but the Liverpool boss insisted that his players owe a performance to their supporters on the final day after a difficult campaign for his team.
"We know what we need to do. We need to win or have a draw, otherwise we still have an acceptable goal difference," Slot said.
"I think we would like to give our fans a nice way of ending the season because there has been far too much disappointment this season for us.
"With 'us', I mean the club, and that includes the fans, the staff and the players as well. We want to end with a win, knowing that Brentford is playing for something important too."
Brentford, meanwhile, arrives on Merseyside with Europe on its mind, with the Bees currently ninth and level on points with Chelsea, which occupies the UEFA Conference League spot.
However, the Blues take on fellow European hopeful Sunderland on the final day, so Brentford knows a win could be enough depending on results elsewhere, with Brighton and Hove Albion, which faces Manchester United, also in the mix.
It has been a sensational first season under Keith Andrews for Brentford, with the Bees boss nominated for the Premier League manager of the year award for his success.
However, Andrews wants to end his maiden campaign in the top-flight on a high, and he acknowledged his team would need a "special" performance to topple Liverpool.
"It would make it a remarkable season, considering where we started from," Andrews said.
"To navigate through the season and come out at the end to have that potential outcome is pretty special. But we're going to have to produce a special performance to get that.
"We just want to approach it like we do most games; we'll have our game plan, what we do with and without the ball, and try to hurt them in areas we feel we can.
"But, equally, we're aware of the strengths that they have."
