The Reds slipped to a 3-0 loss at Manchester City on Sunday, as goals from Erling Haaland, Nico Gonzalez, and Jeremy Doku tore through a defence that struggled to contain City's relentless attack.

The result marked Liverpool's fifth league loss of the season, already more than in the entirety of the previous campaign, and left Slot's side in eighth place with 18 points from 11 games, well off the pace in the Premier League title race where Arsenal lead with 26 points.

Liverpool's recent schedule has been unforgiving, featuring clashes with Manchester City, Aston Villa, Manchester United, and Chelsea, as well as a Champions League victory over Real Madrid and a League Cup exit to Crystal Palace.

"They were by far the much better side in the first half," Slot said after the City defeat. "It was a very good start to the week, winning against (Aston) Villa and Real Madrid, but if you thought you already faced two strong opponents then Man City comes across, away at the Etihad. That is, for every team, difficult, including for us."

However, the Dutchman will return from the international break with renewed optimism. In the nine matches leading up to their trip to Arsenal in mid-January, Liverpool will face seven sides currently in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

Upcoming opponents include Nottingham Forest (home, Sat Nov 22), West Ham United (away, Sun Nov 30), Sunderland (home, Wed Dec 3), Leeds United (away, Sat Dec 6), Brighton (home, Sat Dec 13), Tottenham Hotspur (away, Sat Dec 20), Wolverhampton Wanderers (home, Sat Dec 27), Leeds United (home, Thu Jan 1), and Fulham (away, Sun Jan 4).

Liverpool's Champions League commitments also look more manageable following their vital 1-0 victory over Real Madrid last week, with PSV Eindhoven and Inter Milan still to come in the league phase.

Captain Virgil van Dijk has urged calm amid the frustration. "It's November, we are not going to give up on the title," he said after the City defeat. "It's about finding consistency and carrying on. We are in November and we are ready for a long season and a big fight."

While Arsenal and Manchester City face more testing schedules in the coming weeks, both with European fixtures adding to their workload, Slot's men will have the opportunity to build momentum. With a relatively kind festive period on the horizon, Liverpool's path to recovery is clear. The challenge now is to deliver the performances that match it.

James Garner's form sparks England talk as David Moyes hails Everton star's impact