Arne Slot compares English media scrutiny with the Dutch journalists he used to face as Liverpool struggles mount and the verdict is surprising

Liverpool were beaten again on Sunday as bitter rivals Manchester United earned a 2-1 win at Anfield and their first victory over the Reds on their home turf since January 2016. The defeat followed on from losses to Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Galatasaray which have seen Slot and his team come in for plenty of criticism. Liverpool's struggles come after a summer where the club spent over £450 million ($603m) on new players intended to push the squad to another level of dominance, including record buy Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.

Yet big-money buys Wirtz and Isak in particular have failed to live up to their lofty price tags, with both players yet to score in the Premier League for their new team. Club stalwarts Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have also frustratingly struggled in the early weeks of the season just months after penning lucrative new contracts to keep them at Anfield.

Slot has come in for plenty of media scrutiny but is remaining calm in the face of the criticism, according to the Daily Mail. The ex-Feyenoord boss "has even conceded privately that the Dutch media are much harder" than the English press, although it remains to be seen if he will change his mind if results fail to improve and difficult questions continue to arrive. 

Yet Slot is not stranger to being in the spotlight. He faced plenty of criticism during his time in the Eredivisie and was called a "snake" after leaving AZ to join Feyenoord. Slot even has a tactic to deal with the current negativity which was inspired by cyclist Lance Armstrong. The Liverpool boss reportedly likes to smile at the camera when he's under pressure in the same way that Armstrong used to try and demoralise rivals when he was struggling for form.

Slot admitted defeat to Manchester United was "hard to take" but went on to dub the Red Devils a "long ball team" after seeing defender Harry Maguire head home a late winner to secure a 2-1 victory at Anfield. Slot also seemed baffled that Ruben Amorim chose not to start Benjamin Sesko on Sunday, but his comments have not gone down well with supporters who have criticised his reaction to the defeat.

Slot now faces some big calls when it comes to some of his underperforming stars as he bids to get his team back on track. The Liverpool boss has already been told to drop Salah by former defender Jamie Carragher. He said on Sky Sports: "I don't think Salah should be like a Virgil van Dijk where it's like 'first name on the teamsheet'. Liverpool have got two away games - in the Champions League at Frankfurt and then they go to Brentford.

"I don't think Salah should start both of those games. He should always start at Anfield because Liverpool will be on top, around the edge of the box and more often than not he scores in those situations today. But I do think in the away games and helping your full-back, I don't think Salah should be starting every game right now, certainly away from home, with the form he's in."

Slot may also be tempted to bench Isak after a disappointing start to life at Anfield following a summer move from Newcastle. Slot does also have Hugo Ekitike available, although he has not started any of the team's last three league games. Yet Ekitike boasts a record of five goals and one assist in 11 appearances for the Reds this season and will be eager to return to the starting XI.

Slot will know he will come under more pressure unless he can arrest his team's slump quickly. Tuesday brings a trip to Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League, before Liverpool head to Brentford in the Premier League and then host Oliver Glasner's impressive Crystal Palace side in the fourth round of the League Cup.