Emile Heskey says Arne Slot and his players need to "stand up and be counted" as Champions League-chasing Liverpool enter a critical period in their qualification quest.

And the former striker, who scored 22 times as the Reds won the UEFA Cup, League Cup and FA Cup in 2001, thinks Slot deserves the full backing at Anfield for what he achieved last year when he won the Premier League title.

Slot has come under fire in his sophomore season on Merseyside, with the champions losing eight league games so far, which is double the amount from the entirety of last term when two came after the title had been secured in late April.

As a result of the under-performance, Liverpool head into the final months in sixth behind Chelsea in fifth and Manchester United, who currently occupy the fourth Champions League spot in the table.