Published: 20:43, 28 January 2026 | Updated: 20:43, 28 January 2026

Steven Gerrard says it is a 'body blow' for Liverpool fans to hear Arne Slot suggest that last season's Premier League triumph was helped by the club's early exit from the Champions League. 

After coming under scrutiny for Liverpool's weak defence of their title, Slot claimed his side may have benefitted domestically last season after being knocked out of Europe's elite competition by Paris Saint-Germain.

'This is not going to be a popular opinion but maybe the reason we won the league last season is that we had to play [PSG] in the last 16,' the Dutchman said on Tuesday.

'They beat us and we had every time a [full] week to prepare for our next game. Maybe that helped us. Every manager is aware that the bigger squad you have, the better equipped you are for so many games.'

Slot's comments did not go down well with the Anfield faithful, however, with many pointing out that Liverpool were 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League by the time...