Liverpool crash out of the League Cup. The press is already anticipating consequences.
It is slowly becoming very uncomfortable for Arne Slot at FC Liverpool. The Reds are miles away from their top form and have now suffered their fifth consecutive defeat in domestic English games.
In the League Cup round of 16, the struggling Reds suffered a clear 0-3 defeat against Crystal Palace – and the press is pouncing on the coach.
Arne Slot is under heavy criticism after Liverpool’s latest defeat.
The Dutchman also provided reason for this. On Wednesday evening, he omitted numerous key players. In addition to Florian Wirtz, players like Hugo Ekitiké, Alexander Isak, Mohamed Salah, and Virgil van Dijk were not even in the squad.
In total, Slot made ten changes to the starting lineup compared to the last league game.
Reds Coach Slot Gambles and Loses Against Glasner
The assembled team, a mix of substitutes and youth players, had no chance. Because Palace coach Oliver Glasner fielded – quite unusually for the competition – nearly his best eleven and thus dominated at Anfield.
Ismaila Sarr shocked the hosts with a double strike (41′, 45′). Yéremy Pino added another goal for Palace in the 88th minute.
The tabloid The Sun did not hold back after the match: “Slot suffers his heaviest defeat. The situation is truly dire when Liverpool can no longer even rely on the Carabao Cup. Liverpool’s collapse in the Premier League is now also reflected in a competition that is normally their consolation prize.”
The Mirror wrote after another very weak performance by the champions: “The pressure on Slot is mounting because the coach’s gamble fails.”
Liverpool with a Historically Poor Series
The Independent also pounced on the coach’s personnel decisions: “Slot’s risk backfires massively. The defeat reinforced the feeling that suddenly and surprisingly everything has fallen apart.”
Liverpool has not suffered five consecutive defeats in domestic competitions for 72 years. The last such phase was in 1953.
The BBC therefore also sees the coach as responsible: “Slot offers excuses, but should he have made so many changes? Arne Slot hasn’t done much wrong at Liverpool. But now his plan totally backfired.”
The Daily Mail also refrained from harsh words about the eleven players on the pitch and focused on the coach: “It’s tough to criticize the individual performances of Slot’s substitute team. However, the lineup itself is worthy of criticism, which made most fans at Anfield fear the worst. Confidence is at a historic low in the Slot era.”
Press Lashes Out: “Liverpool, Heads Will Roll”
The latest Reds defeat was closely followed in Spain as well. Sport even headlined: “This Liverpool is unbearable.”
The newspaper also mocked Liverpool’s transfer policy and wrote: “If football were only about spending money, it would be called Monopoly. That’s why Arne Slot’s Liverpool is now facing reality. And the blows, which are numerous at Anfield, are starting to hurt too much. So much so that the Dutch coach, who was a hero last season, is now being heavily questioned.”
As already formulated a premonition: “Liverpool, heads will roll.”