Arne Slot told not to expect 'sympathy' at Liverpool as pressure builds

21 hours ago 4

Arne Slot has been told that he won't receive much sympathy for the team's plight, despite being without a number of players due to injury at the moment.

Liverpool has lost six of its last seven games in all competitions, and after the latest of those losses, which came against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup this week, Slot suggested that his squad lacked depth.

Defending his team selection, which saw a team packed with fringe players and youngsters, start the game, Slot said: "I saw [Manchester] City's line-up [on the same night, against Swansea in the cup] and I don't think they had one starter from the weekend but it felt as if — if you look at their line-up - that they had played with their 11 starters.

"Maybe that gives a little bit of an insight that everybody has always said how big of a squad we have. When we played Chelsea I said they are missing eight but they can still bring Estevao in.

"We are only missing four players at the moment and already we needed to start with four players under the age of 19. After I made two substitutions we were on six."

Slot's comments drew derision from some, considering the amount of money Liverpool spent during the summer transfer window.

And outspoken pundit Craig Burley was among those who weren't keen on the Liverpool head coach's comment.

“Whenever a team goes on a little bit of a bad run, this is when we start hearing this spiel from managers,” Burley said.

“I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of sympathy coming Liverpool’s way, bearing in mind they’re the current champions of England. They spent a fortune in the summer.

“They’ve got some injuries, but they haven’t got the most in the Premier League. He’s got a big squad and a lot of talent to select from.”

Liverpool spent heavily in the summer but the squad has suffered with injuries of late, including to record signing Alexander Isak

Liverpool spent heavily in the summer but the squad has suffered with injuries of late, including to record signing Alexander Isak

Slot clarified his comments on Liverpool's squad depth in a press conference on Friday morning, saying: “We miss nothing.

"I am completely happy with the team, all the quality that we have and completely convinced with the strategy and the policy we have but the issue is not all of them have had a proper pre-season or have been injured during the season.

“When three or four are injured so then you go back to 16 players. I am a firm believer that 20 or 21 players are enough but then you have to keep them fit as we did last season.

"We are struggling to keep them fit for, in my opinion, obvious reasons. Alex [Isak, who is currently injured] is a great example.

"He came to us on 1 September, a few others have missed out on pre-season, a few others have had their injuries in pre-season and it has been more difficult than last season to keep them all available and then when a few of them are not available it comes down a lot to the same players.

"Maybe last season we were a bit lucky or now we are a bit more unlucky.”

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