Arne Slot reached a notable but unwanted milestone as Liverpool fell to a 1-0 defeat against Galatasaray in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 clash.
The Reds were beaten in Istanbul, with Mario Lemina scoring the only goal of the game in the seventh minute. It marked Liverpool’s second defeat against the Turkish giants this season, after they also lost by the same scoreline during the league phase back in September.
That result leaves Liverpool needing to overturn the deficit in the return leg at Anfield on March 18 if they want to keep their European campaign alive.
However, the match also carried extra significance for Slot personally. The defeat came in his 100th game as Liverpool manager, making him the first Reds boss to lose his 100th match in charge since Graeme Souness in 1992.
It’s an unfortunate statistic, especially considering how strong Slot’s overall record has been. The Dutch coach has won 62 of his first 100 matches, matching the record of Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish during his first spell at the club.
For comparison, Jurgen Klopp won 50 of his first 100 matches at Liverpool, while Rafa Benítez managed 54 victories in his opening century of games.
In fact, had Liverpool managed to beat Galatasaray in Istanbul, Slot would have celebrated the best record ever for a Liverpool manager after 100 matches.