Wayne Rooney has openly criticised Liverpool’s manager, Arne Slot, for a tactical decision that he believes would lead to heavy criticism if replicated by Manchester United’s head coach, Ruben Amorim. Slot’s miscalculation was evident as the Premier League leaders suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League, a result that followed a domestic loss to Crystal Palace.
This marked back-to-back losses for Liverpool under Slot, a rare occurrence that signalled trouble for the Merseyside club. During the match, Dominik Szoboszlai, a midfielder by trade, was deployed as a makeshift right-back due to injuries within the squad. This rearrangement saw Jeremie Frimpong moved to the wing, placing star player Mohamed Salah on the bench—a decision that Rooney found inexplicable.
The former Manchester United stalwart noted in his BBC podcast that had a similar strategy been employed by Ruben Amorim at United, he would have faced severe scrutiny. Rooney commented on Liverpool’s subpar performance, highlighting Slot’s risky tactical approach: “I think the worry for me would be, they’re losing the game and Slot just threw on every attacking player, hoping they’d figure it out.”
Slot defended his choices, citing pre-season fitness issues for several key players and expressing the necessity of squad rotation to prevent further injuries. Despite the intention behind the decision, it has not shielded him from criticism, with Rooney’s remarks amplifying the scrutiny.
Europe’s elite competitions demand precision and adaptability, qualities Slot’s side lacked on the night, leading to a chorus of questions surrounding the decisions at the helm of Liverpool.
For those interested in further Premier League insights, keep an eye on these developing narratives surrounding Manchester United’s evolving tactics or the unravelling situation at Liverpool.
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