Gary Neville has told Liverpool boss Arne Slot to swing the axe on one of his players after another disastrous Premier League defeat left the champions’ season on the brink. The Reds crashed to a 3–2 loss at Brentford on Saturday night, leaving Neville fuming at what he called a “contagious problem” spreading through the side.
Liverpool have now gone four league games without a win and look a shadow of the ruthless outfit that stormed to the title last season. Defeats to Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Manchester United, and now Brentford have dragged them down to seventh in the table, miles off the pace set by leaders Arsenal.
Slot admitted the Brentford performance was the worst of his reign, and Neville believes the time has come for drastic change. Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, the former Manchester United defender named summer signing Milos Kerkez as the man who needs to come out of the side.
“The virus is catching,” Neville said. “It’s not just in the left back. Kerkez scored but watching him, he has to be taken out. I think he’s becoming a real worry.”
Neville warned that Liverpool’s defensive issues are spreading across the back line. “I’m worried about the right back too. Jeremie Frimpong isn’t a right back, and Conor Bradley has potential, but it’s tough for young players when the team keeps conceding. The pressure’s huge.”
He compared the chaos to Manchester United’s wild defensive spells under Sir Alex Ferguson. “We’d go through mad periods where we’d score goals but look wide open. Sir Alex would just stick four centre halves across the back and narrow the midfield. He’d say, let’s get solid, stop the madness, and build again. That’s what Liverpool need.”
Neville insisted that Liverpool’s attack will always deliver goals through the likes of Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo, and Federico Chiesa, but said the rest of the side must get serious about defending. “Sometimes you have to go back to basics. Keep it tight, win your duels, stop giving goals away, and let the front three do their job.”
He warned Slot not to wait too long before acting. “If he keeps playing Kerkez and Bradley while the midfield stays so exposed, nothing will change. It’ll just keep flipping between winning and losing. Deep down, Slot knows he has to interfere with this. He can’t let it keep happening.”
Liverpool now face Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup at Anfield on Wednesday night, with their season already threatening to unravel before winter has even begun.