Under-pressure Liverpool boss Arne Slot has promised next season will be better after their Champions League hopes hang in the balance after a “damaging” 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa . The Reds could have sealed their place in next season’s premier European competition but it was Villa who got over the line with a handsome victory which provided the perfect send-off for Wednesday’s Europa League final. Ollie Watkins’ brace and classy goals from Morgan Rogers and John McGinn guaranteed Unai Emery’s men a top-five finish, while Liverpool’s wait goes on. Virgil van Dijk scored twice but this was another directionless performance from the Reds as the pressure grew on Slot, who presided over an alarming 12th defeat of the season. The Dutchman accepted supporters might not find reason to be optimistic, but he is expecting a better campaign. “I can understand at this moment of time that they don’t have a lot of confidence or a lot of feeling that things can be much better next season,” Slot said.…