‘It’s not good enough’: Slot feels the pressure after Liverpool’s loss at Brighton

• Manager defends club’s spending record in dig at critics

• ‘We need to make sure we qualify for Champions League’

Arne Slot has defended Liverpool’s spending record but admitted the pressure was now on to qualify for the Champions League.

Their chances of making the top five – likely enough to qualify – took a significant hit after they lost 2-1 at Brighton in what has been a disastrous season in the context of a £450m outlay on players in the summer shortly after they had lifted the Premier League trophy.