Arne Slot comes out fighting over managing players‘ minutes

Arne Slot has spoken out strongly concerning the challenges he’s confronted when it comes to managing gamers’ minutes at Liverpool this season.

A tough marketing campaign for the Reds hasn’t been helped by quite a few first-team gamers succumbing to damage. Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley and Alexander Isak are all presently sidelined with long-term points, with the latter two already dominated out for the remainder of 2025/26.

Our defensive choices can be stretched even additional once we play Qarabag on Wednesday evening, with the pinnacle coach as we speak confirming that Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate gained’t be concerned as a consequence of damage and compassionate depart respectively.

Slot asks for understanding relating to squad rotation

Forward of Liverpool’s eighth match in 28 days – with yet another to observe in opposition to Newcastle on Saturday to shut out January – Slot requested for the Reds’ critics to be extra understanding of his must handle gamers’ workloads with so many accidents affecting his squad.

The 47-year-old informed the press this afternoon (through Liverpool Echo): “It’s not a fear that I’ve a small squad, however it’s an issue. It’s virtually continuously the identical gamers who should play. Once we lose, we get scrutinised and get criticism we deserve. They’re continuously accessible other than the three [long-term injuries].”

Slot additionally admitted to defying recommendation from medical employees about gamers’ minutes, citing one occasion the place his stance was finally vindicated.

He mentioned: “It’s very onerous to stability that, particularly with the issues with long-term accidents… There was a state of affairs the place a participant was on the pitch and was concerned in a aim on the finish of the sport when actually he ought to have been taken off.

“If individuals knew the struggles we have been dealing with, they’d be extra comprehensible of the choices we have now to make.”

Liverpool ought to nonetheless be doing higher regardless of unrelenting schedule

Liverpool’s fixture calendar has been relentless all through January, and Slot actually hasn’t been helped by having to deal with so many accidents, particularly in defence – Wataru Endo is about to deputise as an emergency centre-back in opposition to Qarabag on Wednesday evening.

However, the Dutchman would most likely be getting much more sympathy from outdoors the membership if his workforce’s outcomes weren’t so underwhelming this season. Even when taking all of the absences under consideration, the Reds have had robust sufficient line-ups to be doing a complete lot higher than they’re.

Except for the again 4, there could also be rotation elsewhere for tomorrow’s match with one eye on the Newcastle recreation on Saturday, the place LFC’s want for a win is extra urgent as a consequence of their ailing Premier League kind.

Slot overtly admitted that his choices to limit Hugo Ekitike to a substitute position and withdraw Jeremie Frimpong after an hour in opposition to Bournemouth have been each with minute administration in thoughts, given the shortage of respective positional options because of the accidents to Isak and Bradley.

We should do not forget that footballers aren’t robots and can naturally accumulate fatigue in the event that they’re enjoying 90-minute matches at an extremely excessive depth two to 3 occasions per week.

That mentioned, any rhetoric about tiredness or accidents would ring hole if Liverpool fail to beat Qarabag on Wednesday – and the pinnacle coach is aware of it.