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Former Liverpool player Steve Nicol believes Milos Kerkez was the main culprit for Crystal Palace's winning goal at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
For the sixth Premier League game this season, Liverpool scored a goal after the 83rd minute, and it looked as though Federico Chiesa's late strike was going to at least secure the Reds a point. However, Palace restored its lead deep into injury time through Eddie Nketiah, as the former Arsenal striker lashed the ball underneath Alisson, who had previously kept Liverpool in the game with a fine goalkeeping display.
Slot lamented one of his players after the game for being "too offensively minded" in the moments leading up to Nketiah's goal, but did not identify the player he was referring to.
“We can only blame ourselves for defending the way we did,” said Slot.
“One of our players ran out because he wanted to play a counter-attack, which was of no use because time was up, so it was only about defending.
“One player was too offensively minded in that moment, which led to them scoring the winner and us losing the game.”
While it is not clear who Slot was referring to, former Reds star Nicol interpreted the Dutchman's comments as a dig at Jeremie Frimpong.
Nicol, though, thinks Kerkez was the problem because of a shaky clearance he made in the buildup to Nketiah's clincher.
“I don’t really understand what Arne Slot is talking about,” Nicol told ESPN. “I was trying to figure it out and I’m going to assume it was Frimpong because that can be the only answer.
"When the ball is thrown into the air, Frimpong takes a couple of steps out.
"But before the throw-in, Kerkez clears the ball with his right foot and sticks it on the halfway line, that’s where the problem is.
"It isn’t Frimpong trying to go forward because I guarantee you he was told to go forward at every chance he can.
"So he’s hyped up to go forward and he does get back, but the problem was Kerkez, that’s where if he’s pointing a finger, that’s who it should be at."
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