Jamie Carragher has called Liverpool's win at Inter Milan "massive" for Arne Slot and shows fans are behind him in the wake of a public fallout with Mohamed Salah and the forward's omission from the squad.
The three points in the Champions League not only give Slot a much-needed reprieve from the noise surrounding him and a supposed breakdown in relationship with Salah, but also strengthened his side's position in Europe as they seek direct qualification to the knockout rounds.
After a run of one win in six games in all competitions for Slot's under-pressure team, they are now back in contention for a top-eight finish thanks to an 88th-minute Dominik Szoboszlai penalty.
"I was so desperate for Liverpool to win tonight, as I am every time they play, but more so for the manager for what he's been through over the last few days," Carragher said on CBS.
"I don't know him that well, have any real relationship with him, but he's the Liverpool manager.
"We know what's gone on and what was really telling was the supporters chanting his name in the first half when it was 0-0… they're right behind their manager, even more so on the back of that result.
"It was a massive result, it's a tough place to go and Liverpool needed that on the back of losing their last game at home in the Champions League to PSV.
"I'm happy for him more than anything. It's been tough all season for him. As a manager, he has to do better in terms of getting more results with the squad of players he's got, but that's a huge result for him and the club. I'm over the moon for him."
Slot said he wants clarification over Salah's stance before further conversations can be had about his future at the club, and accepted the situation has affected others in the Liverpool dressing room.
"Of course there's a lot of things being said, and I think that always affects a team a little bit as well," Slot told Amazon Prime.
"If you've been in the dressing room, you know it's about a player with the manager or with the club, but that normally affects players a bit as well, especially because he's so good and so influential.
"It's never nice to see something like this happen to one of your team-mates.
"Everyone makes mistakes in life, so the first thing should be, does the player think he's made a mistake as well?
"Then the next question is, should the initiative come from me or from him? Now, that's another question to answer. But as I said, the focus for tonight should be about, for example, Virgil [Van Dijk], because the fans are singing for him."
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Slot added: "I think it was really hard for the players to concede in the last minute against Leeds, where, in my opinion, we already played a very good game. We hardly conceded a chance. In the last four games in general, we've hardly conceded a chance.
"To go away there with three goals conceded and a draw was really hard to take. And then that was already emotional. Then what happened afterwards was emotional. It cost maybe a little bit of energy. Fourth game in 10 days, 13 outfield players available that have Premier League or Champions League experience, that shows you the resilience of these players.
"All the focus should be on that tonight, and I can fully understand if I go Friday again into the press conference that all questions will be about Mo, but I think these players deserve it now that we speak about them."
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk:
"We came in on Sunday [after drawing with Leeds], and I didn't feel any difference in terms of the team. We all know what is going on but it's a world that makes it what it is, bigger than ever.
"We have to deal with the facts which was a big game tonight [against Inter] and everyone has to be ready.
"Of course I've spoken to Mo [Salah], it's none of anyone's business. I've been with Mo for such a long time, he's been a big part of my success and the club's success. We've all been doing it together at Liverpool.
"The reality is he's going to the Africa Cup of Nations at the weekend, I hope he has an amazing tournament and in the meantime I have no idea what will happen. I'm not the decision-maker here, it's between the club and Mo but we are always friends.
"My focus is on the team and at this point Mo is still part of the team. We'll see what happens after that."
