Why Arne Slot’s excuses deserve no sympathy as Liverpool crisis deepens

Arne Slot has been scrutinising teamsheets. Not his own, either. Liverpool’s Carabao Cup exit to Crystal Palace – and Slot’s decision to make 10 changes, rest his regulars and pack his bench with novices – brought different questions about his selectorial choices; after a seeming inability to find his best 11, his second-string side looked inadequate, boys losing to men.

But Slot looked at Chelsea, noted Liverpool were condemned to defeat at Stamford Bridge by the substitute Estevao Willian . There are two obvious ripostes. It is scarcely an original observation to note that Chelsea have stockpiled vast numbers of players in recent years, but that has tended to prompt more criticism than praise. And Liverpool’s own bench was celebrated at the start of the season when replacements made their own dramatic late interventions . One of them, Federico Chiesa, is a Euro 2020 winner, who came to Anfield with plenty of pedigree.

On Wednesday, Slot cast his gaze to Wales, to the team Pep Guardiola picked at Swansea . “I saw [Manchester] City's line-up and I don't think they had one starter from the weekend, but it felt as if - if you look at their line-up - that they had played with their 11 starters," he said. Really? Because it included Divine Mukusa, an 18-year-old who has yet to play a minute in the Premier League. And it did not feature any of those who would figure at the top of the list of Guardiola’s preferred 11 starters: Erling Haaland, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Rodri, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva.

If Slot was mistaken when he argued he chose a similar bench against Palace as he did against West Ham in the Carabao Cup last season – when, rather than rookies, it contained Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Andy Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate – a manager with six defeats in seven games has rather greater concerns.

But the size and depth of his squad are prominent among them. Slot’s defence for sacrificing the Carabao Cup was that he is reduced to 15 or 16 senior first-team players. Of an injured contingent of six, Ryan Gravenberch is likeliest to return against Aston Villa on Saturday. Slot seemed to suggest that Alexander Isak , Alisson Becker, Curtis Jones and Jeremie Frimpong will not, while Giovanni Leoni is out for the season.

And yet, while Liverpool were undeniably unlucky that the Italian defender suffered such a serious injury on his debut , a manager who spent a record £450m in the summer will be afforded less sympathy. That budget was supposed to prepare him for all eventualities. Slot opted to be cautious against Palace, rationalising that the last time he picked a player he thought was ready but who was not, Isak was injured against Eintracht Frankfurt. It nevertheless bears repetition that the major reason why Isak did not have a proper pre-season and has never been in peak physical condition for Liverpool is Isak himself. The Swede is yet to complete 90 minutes in club football this season, whereas Marc Guehi, who took a different approach in a time of uncertainty, has done so 14 times and played 89 minutes in a 15th match.

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Liverpool have a particularly gruelling week ahead – Villa, Real Madrid and City – but they navigated similar spells last season. They faced Chelsea, RB Leipzig and Arsenal in one three-game spell, then Real, City and Newcastle in another. Yet now, they can look depleted and bedraggled, their squad stretched and too small.

But it is worth noting that it is a consequence of their decisions. Slot accepted in September that Liverpool could have problems if they suffered from six injuries. Now they have six. But he said a month ago: “We've got 20 or 21 players where some other teams we are in competition with are on 24, 25 or 26. But that's the choice we make.” And that was reflected in Liverpool’s summer business. “It is also why we can maybe spend a bit more on one player instead of bringing three in, and that is maybe the difference between the clubs,” he added.

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It may be over-simplifying, but instead of Isak, Liverpool could have bought two £60m players; instead of Florian Wirtz, two at £50m apiece. Which, in effect, was what Arsenal did. They acquired Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze and Martin Zubimendi, none for under £48m, none for over £70m. By common consensus, Arsenal have the deepest and most balanced squad now.

City provide a pertinent comparison, too. Jack Grealish is the £100m anomaly in their record. Guardiola is far likelier to buy players in the £40m-£65m bracket. Donnarumma is cheaper than that, even if his wages are considerable, and the City manager has spent around £350m in 2025, but on 11 players. And that, in turn, is because, amid injuries, City realised they had left themselves with too small a squad last season. But a more equal spread of resources among the squad meant Guardiola could field a £340m starting 11 in the Carabao Cup. Slot’s cost less than Isak.

They show contrasting approaches. Liverpool tried to get the best 11, which, as long as they struggle to gel, they do not have. Arsenal and City went for more strength in depth. And so, like much else at Anfield now, it comes back to Isak and Wirtz, to Liverpool’s expensive recruitment drive.