Liverpool manager Arne Slot has defended his decision to rotate heavily for the Carabao Cup tie against Crystal Palace, despite the 3-0 defeat at Anfield that saw his side exit the competition and deepen their ongoing slump in form.
The Reds have now suffered six defeats in their past seven matches across all competitions, a run that has intensified scrutiny on Slot just months into his tenure. Palace once again proved to be Liverpool’s bogey team this season, claiming a comfortable victory courtesy of a brace from Ismaïla Sarr and a first goal for Yéremy Pino.
Slot made ten changes to the team that started against Brentford at the weekend, fielding a youthful side with nine academy players on the bench. The Dutch coach explained that his selection was influenced by fixture congestion and a growing injury list, as Liverpool prepare to face Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.
“It’s always disappointing to go out of a competition,” Slot said after the game. “But I made the same choices last season in these rounds. We have only about 15 or 16 senior players fit, and this club has always used this competition to give opportunities to academy players. It felt like the right decision.”
Slot pointed to the team’s packed schedule as a key challenge, highlighting how fatigue and injuries have taken their toll. “Playing three games in seven days is tough,” he said. “Against Brentford, two days after Frankfurt, we struggled physically. I didn’t want to risk more injuries ahead of Villa. Last time I thought a player could handle it, Alexander Isak, he got injured. So, this decision made sense for us.”
Despite the mounting pressure, Slot appeared calm about his position, acknowledging that managing Liverpool always comes with expectations. “If you lose six out of seven, the pressure is there,” he admitted. “But it doesn’t really change after one more defeat. At Liverpool, pressure is part of the job.”
With their Carabao Cup campaign over, Liverpool now turn their attention to stabilising their Premier League form. Slot will be hoping to have midfielder Ryan Gravenberch back from injury as the Reds aim to halt their slide against Aston Villa at Anfield this weekend.
