Liverpool boss Arne Slot has defended his decision to field a weakened team in the Carabao Cup, despite coming under intense pressure following the club's sixth defeat in seven games.
Slot's choice to make 10 changes from the starting XI that began against Brentford on Saturday proved costly as Crystal Palace cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory. The defeat marked the third time this season Liverpool have been knocked out of the competition by Palace, with Ismaïla Sarr and Yéremy Pino scoring two goals each.
Slot accepts he is under pressure following the exit, but maintains that his selection was justified by considering Saturday's Premier League match against Aston Villa. "It's always a blow to lose a game, especially when it leads to going out of a competition," Slot said, "but it's the same selection I did last season in these rounds."
Despite acknowledging Liverpool's poor form, which has seen them lose six of their last seven games, Slot attributes the issues to fatigue. He notes that his team struggled with playing three games in seven days, which may have contributed to the Carabao Cup loss.
Slot also touches on the pressure that comes with managing a high-profile club like Liverpool, where players and staff are well aware of the intense scrutiny. "I don't think it's possible that if you lose five out of six, that losing six out of seven there is even more pressure," he said.
Slot's choice to make 10 changes from the starting XI that began against Brentford on Saturday proved costly as Crystal Palace cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory. The defeat marked the third time this season Liverpool have been knocked out of the competition by Palace, with Ismaïla Sarr and Yéremy Pino scoring two goals each.
Slot accepts he is under pressure following the exit, but maintains that his selection was justified by considering Saturday's Premier League match against Aston Villa. "It's always a blow to lose a game, especially when it leads to going out of a competition," Slot said, "but it's the same selection I did last season in these rounds."
Despite acknowledging Liverpool's poor form, which has seen them lose six of their last seven games, Slot attributes the issues to fatigue. He notes that his team struggled with playing three games in seven days, which may have contributed to the Carabao Cup loss.
Slot also touches on the pressure that comes with managing a high-profile club like Liverpool, where players and staff are well aware of the intense scrutiny. "I don't think it's possible that if you lose five out of six, that losing six out of seven there is even more pressure," he said.
, but its hard not to wonder what wouldve happened if he picked a full strength team 
... liverpool are having a rough season and i get why they wanna rest some players, but 3-0 is a bit harsh 
. maybe the fatigue thing has something to do with it tho? we dont know how tough those premier league games were for them 
... anyway, gotta respect slot's honesty about the pressure, its not easy managing a team like liverpool 
. However, I think Slot could have done more to address the elephant in the room – Liverpool's poor form 
. Attributing the issues solely to exhaustion might downplay the impact of his selection decisions on the team's overall performance 
. Still, as a manager, you can't win 'em all, and it's refreshing to see him owning up to the pressure while maintaining a level head 
.
Still, I get where he's coming from - managing a top-tier club like Liverpool can be tough, and that pressure can definitely take its toll on team performance. 
... maybe slot should've rested some players, but 10 changes? that sounds like a recipe for disaster to me 
... ppl need to chill out about liverpool's form, its been tough season, they're just gettin back from injuries 
... and btw, 3-0 isnt exactly a thrashing by crystal palace, they could've scored more easily 
. And yeah, fatigue is a thing, I've played too many games in a row and been knackered, but come on! You can't just make up excuses all the time 
. Fatigue's a big word, can't argue with that - 3 games in 7 days is brutal 
. And I get what he means about pressure, but still gotta try to win those games, right? 
! People always forget that managers are human too, and we all get frustrated when things aren't going our way 
. Six losses in seven games is no joke, but fatigue is a real thing, fam 
! I feel for Slot, trying to navigate all that pressure and still keep his squad fresh. Maybe it's time to rethink the Carabao Cup format, though? It seems like Liverpool have been getting crushed by Palace every year... 
10 changes from the starting XI? that's just crazy talk! i mean slot thinks it was justified cuz of the premier league match against villa but c'mon, we all know that's not a reason to tank the cup tie. and now liverpool's out again 
third time dis season... i think fatigue might b a thing though, they do play 3 games in 7 days which is crazy 
. 10 changes in a cup match can be a tough ask, but I get why he did it... seems like the team was still recovering from an intense Premier League game, you know? 
Fatigue is no joke, and I think he's right to consider that. He shouldn't be too hard on himself, though 
, and yeah maybe fatigue played a part in that brentford game, but six out of seven losses in premier league is just staggering 
, as for the pressure, i get what slot's saying, its not easy managing a club like lfc where everyone expects you to win all the time 
I feel so bad for Arne Slot, he's under so much pressure with Liverpool and now his team has lost 6 out of the last 7 games 
. Fatigue is a real thing, guys! 
It's not just about the players, but also the staff and the coaches who have to deal with all the stress too 
. I think he's being honest about his decisions and trying to find silver linings in the losses... that takes courage 
Maybe instead of making 10 changes, Slot should've stuck with his starting XI and hoped they could get it together. It's like the saying goes: 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks', but in this case, maybe he just needed to give them a break 
, Arne Slot is doin his thing & tryna make tough decisions 
. The fact that they were playin 3 games in 7 days is def a factor, though 
.