‘Huge pressure’: Jamie O’Hara slams Arne Slot’s Liverpool bench selection as a disgrace vs Crystal Palace

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Liverpool’s team for the game against Crystal Palace was not popular among fans.In their EFL Cup game, the Reds lost 3-0 to Oliver Glasner’s side as Arne Slot decided to play a team made up of a majority of youth players with not much Premier League experience against a strong Palace side.This decision was met with frustration from fans and especially supporters who bought a ticket to the game, as not even Liverpool’s bench featured players who are regular first-team starters.Join our newsletter for news & smart analysis. Slot explained the decision was based on the three-game run, which includes Real Madrid and Manchester City, to save the starters from picking up any more fitness issues than his side already have.While it seemed like a smart decision, not having a bench with a player who could change the game on it is, in reality, a complete oversight because it left those younger players to struggle with minimal experience to come on and help.Photo by Andrew Kearns – CameraSport via Getty ImagesJamie O’Hara slams Arne Slot’s Liverpool bench decisionThese choices seemed to be out of frustration, given they are in a nightmare run of form, which may be inescapable given the strong teams that the Reds have to face in November.It is something that was slammed by Jamie O’Hara in a Sky Sports interview this morning, as the former Tottenham Hotspur star ripped into the decision not to have senior players at the ready from the bench.READ MORE: Arne Slot told of one habit he needs to stop during Liverpool interviewsO’Hara explained that this choice from the Dutchman shows that he understands the ‘huge pressure’ that is on his shoulders following the results of his team recently.He said: “Tough question to answer because obviously they got big games coming up, and it is important that they get points on the board in the Premier League because it has been terrible.

“They are at home, Crystal Palace are a good side, don’t get me wrong, but I think they needed to field a stronger side. I think he put the young kids out there, really and truthfully, to say I do not want to be in this competition."He threw the towel in, the bench was a disgrace"Jamie O'Hara criticises Arne Slot's team selection for last night's EFL Cup defeat 🔴 pic.twitter.com/uCHqmBNahA— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) October 30, 2025 View Tweet “The bench was a disgrace… Liverpool’s bench, he threw the towel in, he waved the white flag and said I do not want to be in the competition.

I think Lambs to the Slaughter a bit with the young kids putting them out there. You put young kids out there with Liverpool fans who are a bit edgy at the moment, and they got battered.”The next three games are huge for Arne SlotThis form that the team are in feels unprecedented for the club, given the position they entered the season in being Premier League champions.These three games will be a real turning point in how fans will react for the rest of the season, because if there are three straight defeats in these games, serious questions are going to be asked.There is already frustration from supporters, which cannot persist week in and week out, as it will add to a negative atmosphere.It is not to say fans or supporters will fully turn on the Dutch coach and he should not be sacked at this point, but it should be enough for him to rethink what is going on at the club.If there are three straight wins over the next week, it will be much needed; however, face two or more defeats and the pressure will continue to mount.