Liverpool manager Arne Slot expressed satisfaction after his side's 1-0 victory over Sunderland. The Reds handed the Black Cats their first home defeat of the season, a testament to the character shown, even if Slot admitted the performance was far from perfect.
"We showed great character. To come to this stadium, where Sunderland hadn't lost at home all season, and leave with three points is a significant achievement. It wasn't perfect, but right now, results are the most important thing," Slot began.
He then commented on the battle for a top-four finish, in which Liverpool is heavily involved.
"Before the match, I said we needed to be close to perfection if we wanted to qualify for the Champions League. Tonight, we took an important step towards that, capitalizing on the slip-ups of our direct rivals," the Dutchman added.
However, he admitted concern over Wataru Endo's injury.
"Unfortunately, Endo's injury doesn't look good. He's a fighter – he stayed on the pitch to help us with one last set-piece, even though he could barely walk. I expect him to be out for quite a long time, which is a heavy blow, especially given our limited options at right-back," Slot continued.
Finally, he praised Virgil van Dijk, who scored the winning goal.
"I'm happy for Virgil (van Dijk). Set-pieces are something we work on a lot, and today it made the difference in a very evenly contested match," Slot concluded.