It serves as a reflection of where Liverpool and Arne Slot find themselves that if the head coach’s tactics are not being pulled apart, then his every utterance is being forensically dissected.
The fallout from the latest last-gasp defeat of the season, Bournemouth having scored an added-time winner in a 3-2 success last Saturday, initially focused on repeated failings and fitness concerns.
By the end of the week, however, Slot found himself accused of disrespecting the club’s supporters and taking a dig at his predecessor Jürgen Klopp.
He intended neither. Comments about Liverpool’s title success last season being aided by going out of the Champions League at the round-of-16 stage were just poorly thought out rather than anything more sinister.
His reference to the fact Liverpool were knocked out of the Europa League quarter-finals by Atalanta in April 2024, immediately after the 6-0 win over Qarabag on Wednesday, was an attempt to emphasise why progress into the last 16 of Europe’s premier club competition should be enjoyed and not just taken for granted.
Since walking through the door 18 months ago, Slot could hardly have been more complimentary about Klopp, who will return to Anfield in March to manage Liverpool in a legends game against another of his former clubs, Borussia Dortmund.
The ferocity with which some — both pundits and fans — have alighted on those remarks speaks to the mood around the place with Liverpool sixth in the table coming into two huge home Premier League games, against Newcastle United on Saturday night and Manchester City next Sunday.
Slot has credit in the bank with supporters after winning the league in his first season
PHIL NOBLE/REUTERS
Slot has clearly been listening to what was described to him as “the noise” but the 47-year-old Dutchman has remained largely philosophical, passing up the opportunity to say he deserves more respect having won the Premier League eight months ago when invited to do so.
“That is what you have to accept if you are a manager that is not winning enough games,” he said. “I don’t know if that person is in here but he asked me a question if things have changed for managers now.
“Maybe that has changed for managers — that even if you have won something there is still room for criticism, which to a certain extent is normal because we are in a new season and I was the first to say to the players, ‘We have to forget last season.’ I think it is fair to judge me on this season and not on last season.”
Safe to say his detractors will not quibble with that observation.
Slot spent 31 minutes with the regular media pack on Friday, split into two sections of 21 and ten minutes respectively, and answered every question. For context, a recent Pep Guardiola press conference at Manchester City had three and five-minute sections. That is only mentioned as it highlights the respectful approach Slot has for a side of the job he could do without at the moment.
Aside from performances and results, anger appears to be fuelled by a lack of defensive reinforcements in January, despite Giovanni Leoni being ruled out for the season, Joe Gomez’s persistent fitness issues and the form of Ibrahima Konaté, albeit that has improved of late. Konaté is back in the squad to face Newcastle having taken compassionate leave after the death of his father.
Slot sent on 19-year-old Amara Nallo as a late substitute against Qarabag for only his third senior appearance, a sign of Liverpool’s sparse defensive options
PHIL NOBLE/REUTERS
Resources at right back are even more depleted. Jeremie Frimpong’s groin injury that will sideline him for “a few weeks” compounds the absence of Conor Bradley for the rest of the campaign.
Given Liverpool were on the verge of signing Marc Guéhi on deadline day in September for £35million until the Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish pulled the plug, the prevailing sense is they should have recruited a centre back this month.
The internal view is that Guéhi did not represent value at £20million, and £300,000-a-week wages, when he would have been available on a free transfer in the summer. They do not sign short-term fixes and the players they now want are not available.
That stance will not be popular but it has long been the approach of owner Fenway Sports Group. The guaranteed spend since Slot’s first summer in 2024 is £426.1million (£461.5million including add-ons) balanced by sales of £258.5million guaranteed, with add-ons taking the total to £294.5million.
The view at Liverpool is that Guéhi did not represent value to sign in January — he was snapped up by City instead
MARC ATKINS/GETTY IMAGES
“It’s a model of sustainability,” Slot said. “Everyone talks about £450million but that’s why we had to recoup £300million. So that’s our model and I am not frustrated about that.
“That’s the model I stepped into and I even embrace it. It’s a good model to have for any club. I am frustrated that sometimes people don’t notice it, but we were able to achieve a lot of good things since this ownership is here with this model of sustainability.
Liverpool will keep Jones amid Inter interestLiverpool will not sanction the departure of any senior players before the transfer window closes after Inter Milan showed interest in a loan move for Curtis Jones (Paul Joyce writes).
Inter midfielder Davide Frattesi is considering a switch to Nottingham Forest prompting the Italian club to consider reinforcements.
Jones has 16 months left on his contract and reports in Italy indicate Inter proposed a loan deal with a view to a €40million transfer. Sources at Inter accept the idea was a long shot and, as with Andrew Robertson and Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool are not in a position to consider exits. Jones missed the Champions League win over Qarabag in midweek but is expected to be back in the squad for Newcastle’s visit.
“If you have a different model you can just spend whatever you want and do whatever you want. If the money just comes, then you can look at a different profile from what we are looking at.”
The counterpoint is how Liverpool have divided that spending. Would they have been better off spending £125million on three players, for instance, to bolster a squad that includes Federico Chiesa and youngsters Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha, rather than giving Newcastle all that amount for Alexander Isak, who is now sidelined with a broken leg?
Now there is only one way of calming the situation. Slot — whose side have a goal difference of +3, compared with +35 at this point last term — knows that is by winning matches.
Liverpool v Newcastle United
Premier League. Saturday, 8pm
TV TNT Sports 1