Arne Slot Faces Major Selection Dilemmas After Liverpool’s Defeat to Manchester United
Liverpool’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United at Anfield has left head coach Arne Slot facing several critical selection dilemmas as he searches for a formula to get the champions back to winning ways. The defeat marked the first time since Brendan Rodgers’ tenure in 2014 that Liverpool have lost four consecutive matches in all competitions, putting immense pressure on Slot ahead of key fixtures in Europe and the Premier League.
The Reds now face a challenging week with a trip to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday, followed by a Premier League clash with Brentford on Saturday. With performances faltering and results dipping, Slot must quickly find solutions to his team’s tactical imbalances and selection inconsistencies.
One of the main issues concerns the full-back positions, where both Milos Kerkez and Conor Bradley struggled against United. Andy Robertson is now being considered to return on the left, offering experience and composure, while on the right, Dominik Szoboszlai could again fill in for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who remains sidelined. Slot’s defensive setup will be crucial in determining whether Liverpool can regain stability.
Midfield remains another area of concern. Alexis Mac Allister, who has yet to complete a Premier League match since April due to fitness struggles, may be rested to recover fully. Curtis Jones impressed after replacing him in the second half against United, and many believe he deserves a starting role. Slot must now decide whether to prioritise Mac Allister’s gradual reintegration or opt for Jones’ energy and dynamism.
Attention has also turned to summer signing Florian Wirtz, who once again started on the bench for Liverpool’s biggest match of the season. The German playmaker joined from Bayer Leverkusen with great expectations, but fans and pundits, including Jamie Carragher, have questioned Slot’s reluctance to start him. Carragher argued that Liverpool must build their attacking play around Wirtz and record signing Alexander Isak.
Mohamed Salah’s recent dip in form adds another complication. The Egyptian forward has now gone seven Premier League games without scoring a non-penalty goal, his longest drought since joining Liverpool in 2017. Carragher suggested that Salah should no longer be an automatic starter, urging Slot to consider rotating him or testing Jeremie Frimpong in his position to add more pace and defensive balance.
Up front, Slot faces a difficult choice between Isak and Hugo Ekitike. Despite being the most expensive player in British football history, Isak has yet to score in the Premier League this season, while Ekitike has netted five times in 11 appearances. The Frenchman’s form before his suspension has led many to call for him to start ahead of the Swede as Liverpool search for goals.
Jamie Carragher believes the solution lies in finding a way to integrate all of Liverpool’s key signings — Isak, Ekitike, and Wirtz — into the same starting eleven. He proposed deploying Wirtz on the left wing to complement Kerkez defensively while providing creativity in attack. As Liverpool prepare for crucial games, Slot’s ability to balance his squad selections could determine whether the champions can bounce back from this early-season crisis.
