Arne Slot defended Mohamed Salah after he missed a number of chances in Liverpool's 2-1 defeat at Chelsea, saying the Egyptian "is a human being".

Liverpool suffered their third-straight defeat in all competitions at Stamford Bridge on Saturday night after Estevao scored a dramatic late winner for The Blues.

But it could have been a different story for the champions had their talismanic forward been more prolific in front of goal.

Salah was presented with a golden opportunity in the opening minute of the second half following an inventive flick by Florian Wirtz, but fired wide of the near post, before sending two more efforts a long way off target later on in the half after cutting inside from the right.

Asked about Salah's wayward shooting, Slot defended his player, while questioning if it was a result of his exclusion from Liverpool's starting line-up against Galatasaray in midweek.

The Liverpool boss said: "That’s then interesting. Did he create so much today because he didn’t play during the week? Or did he miss the chances because he missed a bit of sharpness that he could have had if he’d played against Galatasaray? We will never know."

Slot added: "What I like is that he got many times in a position he would like to be in, and I would like him to be in. He has shown in his career and since I’m here that he can score goals.

"Today, he had many opportunities to do what he has done so often, but he is a human being. It is not like every chance he gets is always a goal."

Salah has scored three times in 10 appearances in all competitions this season, and is now without a goal in his last four matches.

He has netted twice in the Premier League this time around, with one of those coming from the spot against Burnley.

It comes after an incredibly fruitful campaign last year, as he scored 34 goals in all competitions, netting 29 times in the league en route to the title.

It was just the second time that Salah started alongside Liverpool's record summer signing, Alexander Isak.

Isak's only Liverpool goal so far came in the Carabao Cup against Southampton when Salah was not in the squad, while the Egyptian has not scored in the Premier League when the former Newcastle United man has been on the pitch.

The two nearly combined for a goal in the opening period against Chelsea when Isak headed over following an exquisite cross from the winger, using the outside of his foot.

Slot believes the two just need more time playing together to establish a stronger connection, and that the issue at Stamford Bridge was instead around the team's build-up, particularly in the opening period.

He said: "The more they play together, the more they will connect. I think that's what you saw in the second half, already a little bit from the start, but especially after I had to take [Ibrahima] Konate off.

"When Ryan [Gravenberch] started to play in that position, we were able to get our attackers in promising situations much more than in the first half.

"For me, it wasn't the disconnection. I think the first half was mainly that we had to be better in build-up, and that's what we did more and more in the second half.

"That's why we created so many good moments, chances and moments that we could have created much more." (TNT)

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