Liverpool's Slot: Last risk I took, Isak got hurt

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Liverpool manager Arne Slot defended his team selection following a 3-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Crystal Palace, emphasizing that his decisions were influenced by the need to protect key players from injury. Liverpool suffered their sixth loss in seven matches, with Slot rotating the squad heavily by making 10 changes from their previous Premier League lineup against Brentford. Notably, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk were rested for the fixture.

Slot explained that with a limited squad of about 15-16 first-team players available, he had to make strategic choices to manage player fitness. He cited past injuries sustained during cup matches as a reason for caution, highlighting that Liverpool does not possess as large or as deep a squad as some might believe. For instance, the team only has one right-back, Conor Bradley, and excessive game time previously caused injuries for him. Slot remarked: “Last time we played Southampton here in the League Cup, Giovanni Leoni got injured. We don't have such a big squad... People all of a sudden think we have 25 players available. But we mainly have 20 players then we have four injuries.”

Regarding the criticism of his rotation policy after Alexander Isak was injured during this match, Slot suggested that the risk was necessary to preserve the overall squad’s health. He emphasized that Liverpool’s standards and ambitions do not align with the recent poor run of results and that his selection decisions, while unpopular, aimed to safeguard key players for future challenges.

This stance reflects Liverpool’s balancing act between competitiveness and injury management, particularly given the ongoing physical demands of multiple competitions and a squad stretched thin by injuries.