Arne Slot’s Risky Gamble Backfires as Liverpool Crash Out of Carabao Cup
Liverpool’s Carabao Cup journey came to an abrupt end this week, and the finger of blame is being pointed squarely at manager Arne Slot. What was meant to be a smart bit of rotation quickly turned into a night to forget at Anfield. Liverpool, packed with young academy players and fringe squad members, were humbled 3–0 at home by Crystal Palace — a defeat that has raised serious questions about Slot’s team selection and timing.
Now, let’s be honest — Slot hasn’t put a foot seriously wrong since arriving at Liverpool. He won the Premier League in his debut season, steadied the post-Klopp transition, and even built a team that plays vibrant, attacking football. But Wednesday night was a wake-up call. The lineup he fielded — missing stars like Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Dominik Szoboszlai — looked more like a pre-season experiment than a cup knockout team. And that gamble, as it turned out, was costly.
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Liverpool actually started the game with energy. There were flashes of promise from teenagers like Rio Ngumoha and Kieran Morrison, but once Palace settled, the visitors took control. Ismaila Sarr, who seems to save his best for games against Liverpool, struck twice before halftime. Things went from bad to worse when 18-year-old Amara Nallo was shown a red card, and Yeremy Pino’s late strike sealed the 3–0 defeat under heavy rain at Anfield.
In his post-match comments, Slot defended his choices, saying Liverpool has “always used this competition to give opportunities to academy players.” He insisted the decision was right, even if the result didn’t go their way. But not everyone agreed. Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock accused Slot of “making excuses,” suggesting that a Champions League side should be better prepared for a congested fixture list. “If your squad depth isn’t good enough,” he said, “then your summer business wasn’t good enough.”
Others, like ex-Scotland international Pat Nevin, took a more pragmatic view — arguing that Slot clearly prioritized the bigger challenges ahead. And to be fair, those challenges are massive. In the next ten days, Liverpool will face Aston Villa, Real Madrid, and Manchester City. Slot admitted that the club is entering “a big week” and emphasized the need to keep key players fresh and fit.
For now, the pressure is mounting. Liverpool have now lost six of their last seven games — their worst run in years. Another defeat, especially against Villa this weekend, would mark their worst domestic streak since 1953. Slot may call it part of the process, but for the fans, patience is wearing thin. The coming week could define whether his rotation gamble was a calculated risk — or a serious misstep in Liverpool’s season.
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