Arne Slot makes telling admission about Liverpool's title defence - 'Every single game we play'

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I cannot access external websites or browse URLs, including the Liverpool Echo link you provided. However, I can provide a summary based on the search results available to me, which cover Arne Slot's recent comments about Liverpool's title defense. **Summary:** Liverpool manager Arne Slot has acknowledged that his side needs "a bit of magic" to close the gap on Premier League leaders as the Reds sit fourth, 12 points behind Arsenal at the season's halfway point. Despite an encouraging seven-game unbeaten run that steadied the ship following six losses in seven games, Slot described Liverpool's current form as grinding rather than flowing football. Slot emphasized that Liverpool finds itself consistently within a tight competitive margin with most opponents. "Every single game we play, it is hard work. It is two teams quite close to each other," he stated, noting that while Liverpool is often the better team, the margin is insufficient to guarantee results. The manager acknowledged that Arsenal and Manchester City are realistically "quite far away" from Liverpool's current position, with Aston Villa close behind the leaders but creating a widening gap after Arsenal's victory over them. Slot indicated Liverpool should focus on closing gaps with immediate competitors rather than chasing the runaway leaders. A significant concern for Slot is Liverpool's attacking inefficiency. Despite dominating possession in matches, the team struggles to generate sufficient chances. "It is clear and obvious we find it quite hard to generate enough chances for all the ball possession we have," Slot explained, suggesting that set-pieces and moments of individual brilliance may be necessary to unlock tight defensive opponents. Looking ahead to Sunday's fixture against Fulham, Slot expects a more open encounter than recent games, anticipating that Marco Silva's side will attack and seek possession in their home match.