Alexis Mac Allister’s stats speak volumes: Three Liverpool decisions Arne Slot got wrong vs Chelsea
Arne Slot’s side found themselves on the end of a third successive defeat as Estevao scored an added-time winner to help Chelsea beat Liverpool 2-1.
Liverpool found themselves behind early on through a powerful Moises Caicedo strike from the edge of the area that left stand-in goalkeeper Giorgi Marmadashvili with no chance.
Dominik Szoboszlai came close to levelling not long after as his shot was well-blocked by Benoit Badiashile on the line, and Alexander Isak also wasted a decent chance just before the break as he sent a header over the crossbar.
Liverpool levelled proceedings just after the hour mark as Cody Gakpo poked home from close-range after Isak had helped a cross into his path, but Estevao popped up with a winner in added-time and Arne Slot‘s side were resigned to a crushing 2-1 defeat against Chelsea.
The Reds have now lost each of their last three games, and Football Insider have picked out three things that their Dutch boss got completely wrong following this latest loss.
Alexis Mac Allister should not have started and should have come off earlier
Alexis Mac Allister has struggled with injury concerns this season, and he looked a shell of his usual self against Chelsea as the likes of Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez got the better of their midfield.
The Argentine international allowed Caicedo the freedom of the Stamford Bridge pitch as he found the top corner with aplomb for the opener, and he ended the game with only 77% pass accuracy, one chance created, two accurate long balls from six played, and only two tackles completed [Fotmob].
Mac Allister has still not played a full 90 minutes since April, and he was seriously poor today, so should not have started, let alone have played for 86 minutes when his side needed goals.
Should have played Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike together
Liverpool signed Isak for a British-record fee from Newcastle in the summer, and questions were raised around the club’s strategy with fellow centre-forward Hugo Ekitike already through the door on Merseyside.
Other than for just six minutes against Galatasaray in the Champions League, Slot has not chosen to play the pair alongside each other, and that continued against Chelsea as Isak came off for Ekitike in the 74th minute.
It seemed strange to take the Sweden international off after he had played well and assisted Gakpo’s goal, and it would have made much more sense to keep him on and put the Frenchman next to him with the Reds needing another goal to win.
Brought Wataru Endo on over Federico Chiesa
Liverpool looked like they had battled back to take a point away from West London in the latter stages of the game, and Slot’s decision to bring midfielder Wataru Endo on over an attacker in Federico Chiesa proved to be the wrong one.
The Dutch boss should have wanted his team to try and win the game, with it becoming an end-to-end spectacle as time ticked on, but his substitute clearly showed a more defensive mindset rather than trying to grab all three points.
Chiesa missed out on Liverpool’s trip to Galatasaray through injury, so would have been well-rested and ready to make an impact against tired Chelsea legs, yet he was not given that opportunity and Endo instead looked rusty as they went on to concede.