Arne Slot Responds to Liverpool Pressure With Mind-Blowing Team Selection for Cup Defeat

Liverpool battled Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup fourth round on Wednesday.

Arne Slot named a questionable lineup for the Carabao Cup fourth round. / Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images

Arne Slot named a bizarre squad for Liverpool’s gruelling 3–0 Carabao Cup fourth round defeat to Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening, despite growing pressure following recent performances and results.

The Reds slumped to their fourth successive Premier League defeat on Saturday evening when they were beaten 3–2 by Brentford in the Premier League. The result leaves them seven points off table-toppers Arsenal and in crisis for the first time during Slot’s tenure.

The Carabao Cup clash with Palace, who had already beaten Liverpool twice this season, was viewed as an opportunity to get back on track for the Reds, but Slot’s team selection made it incredibly difficult for them to progress.

The Dutch coach made ten changes from the weekend defeat—left back Milos Kerkez the only player keeping his place—and selected a peculiar and inexperienced starting lineup, which included youngsters Calvin Ramsay, Trey Nyoni, Rio Ngumoha and Kieran Morrison.

How we line up for tonight’s Carabao Cup action 👊

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Freddie Woodman debuted in goal in place of Giorgi Mamardashvili, while Joe Gomez, Wataru Endo and Andy Robertson featured in the backline as Slot employed a 3-4-3 formation to combat the Eagles. Alexis Mac Allister and Federico Chiesa provided experience in midfield and attack respectively.

Slot’s bench was an even greater surprise and was entirely comprised of academy prospects. Kaide Gordon, Trent Koné-Doherty, Wellity Lucky and Amara Nallo were all used from the bench—the latter sent off in the closing stages for the second time in only his second Liverpool appearance.

Palace named a much more competitive lineup and unsurprisingly sauntered to a third victory against the Reds this season. Liverpool’s nemesis Ismaïla Sarr scored twice before the break and Yéremy Pino added a late third on what was another bitterly disappointing evening for Slot.

Liverpool have now lost six of their last seven games in all competitions and desperately need a response at home to Aston Villa in the Premier League this Saturday.

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Liverpool Lineup vs. Crystal Palace

Liverpool starting XI vs. Crystal Palace (3-4-3): Woodman; Endo, Gomez, Robertson; Ramsay, Nyoni, Mac Allister, Kerkez; Morrison, Chiesa, Ngumoha.

Substitutes: Pésci, Gordon, Koné-Doherty, Pinnington, Nallo, Figueroa, Lucky, Pilling, Laffey.

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