Gary Neville says Arne Slot got Arsenal decision dead wrong, but Liverpool boss had no choice - opinion

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Gary Neville has criticised Arne Slot’s approach to Liverpool’s looming clash with Arsenal, insisting the manager got a key decision “dead wrong,” even if circumstances left him with little alternative. With Liverpool’s squad heavily depleted – star forwards missing through injury and Mohamed Salah away at the Africa Cup of Nations – Slot set his team up in a more cautious, damage‑limitation style rather than taking Arsenal on at full throttle.

Neville argued that, given Liverpool’s status as reigning champions and their need to reassert themselves in the title race, Slot should have been bolder. In his view, Arsenal’s form and league position made this the perfect stage for Liverpool to “make a statement” by playing on the front foot and trusting their remaining attacking quality. He believes that even without several big names, players like Cody Gakpo, Dominik Szoboszlai and others still offer enough threat to unsettle the league leaders.

However, the article stresses that Slot’s hands were tied. A combination of injuries, fatigue, and recent late setbacks has left Liverpool fragile, both physically and mentally. Slot is said to be acutely aware that another heavy defeat could damage confidence and derail their push for Champions League qualification. In that light, prioritising structure, discipline and game management over expansive football was framed as a reluctant but necessary call.

The piece ultimately presents a tension between Neville’s idealistic demand for a bold, identity‑driven performance and Slot’s pragmatic response to a difficult moment. While the pundit insists Liverpool should never approach a domestic rival in a conservative manner, the manager is portrayed as choosing the lesser of two evils: sacrificing some ambition on the night in order to protect a stretched squad and keep the broader season objectives alive.