Arne Slot has hinted at sweeping changes at Liverpool following their dismal title defence, after the Reds slipped to an 11th Premier League defeat against bitter rivals Manchester United. The 3-2 reverse at Old Trafford on Sunday left the manager visibly frustrated and contemplating a major squad overhaul in the summer.
Defeat at Old Trafford
Liverpool endured a miserable first half, with goals from Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko putting the hosts in control. Errors gifted goals to Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo, but United eventually sealed victory through Kobbie Mainoo. Speaking after the game, Slot was particularly downbeat and suggested major alterations at Anfield are needed to get the club back on track.
"Yeah, I don't think anyone expected us to lose that game after a 2-2. Or maybe you do after the whole of our season," Slot told Sky Sports. "As I've shown so many times this season, when we are playing well or we think we are able to win it, we switch off. The ball fell to Mainoo and a great finish for them."
Slot added: "The margins are not so big on us being able to win a game like this. I know what we can improve on and we are already working hard on this. The same issues keep coming back, which is not a huge surprise as you don't have long to fix it during the season. Tactically you can change certain things, but for me it is clear where we have to improve and we will."
Recruitment Under Scrutiny
Should Liverpool welcome a number of new faces this summer, it would be the second year in a row that the Reds have spent heavily. However, United icon Gary Neville has claimed that previous recruitment has actually contributed to the club's downfall this season.
"I do think there is an element of Liverpool though. We can't rewrite history of what we all thought at the start of the season when we were all predicting them to win the league or get close," Neville said. "We were either having them first or second probably. If you look at it, they wanted Frimpong to replace Alexander-Arnold, they wanted Kerkez to replace Robinson. They wanted Salah to repeat his season this year. They thought Ekitike and Isak would score 60 goals between them and Wirtz would just tuck in off the left and be a sensation.
"It hasn't worked. The recruitment hasn't worked and obviously there's been injuries as well. From last season, they have tried to replace those players that they knew were aging, and those players coming in other than Ekitike haven't settled. Kerkez and Frimpong haven't been anywhere near Alexander-Arnold and Robertson at their best. Salah has been nowhere near the level of the previous Mo Salah. Ekitike and Isak have been nowhere near the levels probably of Diaz, Jota and Firmino or whoever it was a couple of years ago. They just haven't settled in yet. I can't work out whether it's a really bad situation for Liverpool or they just need to be patient and let these players emerge next season."
