Liverpool boss Arne Slot defended his decision to field a youthful side in their 3-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Crystal Palace, despite growing criticism following the club’s costly summer and poor run of form.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has defended his decision to prioritize upcoming fixtures over the Carabao Cup after a youthful Reds side suffered a 3-0 defeat at home to Crystal Palace on Wednesday.
Slot, whose team has now lost six of their last seven games, left several key players out of the squad, saying fatigue had taken a toll. “It is always a blow to lose a game of football, especially if it leads to going out of a competition,” he said. “There are many reasons, maybe, why we’ve lost six out of seven — none of them are good enough to accept losing so many.”
The Dutchman argued that he had only 15 or 16 senior players available. “With our starters we haven’t been able to win a lot from Palace as well,” he added, emphasizing his faith in the club’s academy players.
Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock criticized the decision, calling it “deflecting and making excuses.” He told BBC Radio 5 Live, “You’re a team in the Champions League, yet you’re moaning that you’re playing a game two days later.”
BBC pundit Pat Nevin also noted that Slot’s approach reflected the club’s de-prioritization of domestic cups. “Arne Slot has shown it is secondary,” he said.
With Liverpool having spent $500 million on new players this summer, the manager’s rotation strategy has come under scrutiny. Anything less than victory against Aston Villa this weekend could deepen the pressure on Slot.