Arne Slot ‘took Trent liberty’ at Liverpool then gave Mo Salah ‘backhanded slap’
Arne Slot has been blasted for his team selection after Liverpool were held to a 3-3 draw by Newcastle United at St James’ Park, by Tim Sherwood.
The Premier League leaders twice had to come from behind in that game on Wednesday (4 December), having trailed 1-0 and then 2-1 after 62 minutes.
That came with Slot having made an unexpected change at right-back in the starting XI, with Jarrell Quansah replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold.
It was after the introduction of the latter that Liverpool turned the game in their favour, with Alexander-Arnold twice assisting Mo Salah to make it 3-2, only for Newcastle to equalise in the 90th minute.
Now, Sherwood has criticised Slot for not playing Alexander-Arnold from the start, suggesting that he did not give Salah the support he needed to begin with, which he feels would have led to a different result, before handing the Egyptian star a loaded compliment afterwards.
Speaking about that selection call on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday (12.19pm), the former Tottenham and Aston Villa manager said: “It was interesting wasn’t it, Arne Slot comes out and says ‘a man [Salah] who can play that bad in the first hour and turn it on’.
“I mean it was a backhanded slap wasn’t it? But if I’m Mo Salah I’d say ‘it’s no coincidence that when Trent Alexander-Arnold comes on I come alive’.
“I thought he took a liberty with his team selection, playing Quansah out there and Gomez there, but he got away with it but they dropped two points. I think if Trent starts they don’t drop two points, they beat Newcastle.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold Liverpool selection call against Newcastle may be a regret
Football Insider Opinion
While his side are still in a commanding position at the top of the Premier League, this could still prove to be a costly selection call from Slot.
Every point could be vital in the battle for the title, and by not winning here, they may have missed out on two important ones.
Given the impact he made from an attacking perspective when he came off the bench for Liverpool, things would surely have been different had Alexander-Arnold started.
He is a much more natural right-back than Quansah, and his chance creation may have provided more openings before he came on to put the game beyond Newcastle.
Salah may also be frustrated by the fact he did not have that supply right from the start of this game, as he might have done had Slot’s selection been different.
Considering the uncertainty there is around a new Liverpool contract for the Egyptian at the minute, that may be something the Reds would want to avoid as they attempt to convince him to remain at Anfield.
In other news, Liverpool fans have given their reaction to the proposed rearranged date for the Merseyside derby.
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