Arne Slot bemoaned the ‘same issues coming back’ during Liverpool’s disappointing Premier League defeat to Manchester United.
Reigning champions Liverpool suffered their eleventh league lack of the season at Old Trafford on Sunday, losing 3-2 to in-form United.
Slot’s side mounted a powerful comeback, getting back from 2-0 all the way down to level the match at 2-2 as Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo cancelled out early goals from Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.
The momentum seemed to be with Liverpool at that stage but United responded well and sealed the win through Kobbie Mainoo’s 77th-minute strike.
The win not only clinched Champions League football for Manchester United but ensured they are going to almost actually finish above Liverpool just 12 months because the Anfield club lifted the Premier League title.
Slot felt the ‘same issues’ were again an issue for his struggling Liverpool side but was keen to spotlight United’s ‘strengths’, insisting captain Bruno Fernandes repeatedly ‘hurt’ his team in transitions.
‘We weren’t in a position to control their strengths,’ Slot said. ‘We were aware of them – set-pieces and counter-attack. You could have to know where to lose the ball if you happen to play against United.
‘They’re really strong after they play into the center. They’ve so many fast players, Bruno Fernandes to harm you in transition and that’s exactly what happened with the second goal.
‘That’s what happens. We were 2-0 down, got here back within the second-half to 2-2 after which we shut off and immediately conceded the goal.
‘We had plenty of ball possession, certainly one of their strengths can be defending. I attempted to play a bit more on each side with the wingers.
‘We went a bit an excessive amount of for the center within the first-half where they’ll counter attack you.
‘I don’t think anyone expected us to lose that game after a 2-2. Or perhaps you do after the entire of our season.
‘As I’ve shown so over and over this season, after we are playing well or we predict we’re in a position to win it, we switch off.
‘The margins aren’t so big on us having the ability to win a game like this, I do know what we will improve on and we’re already working hard on this.
‘The identical issues keep coming back which just isn’t an enormous surprise as you don’t have long to repair it in the course of the season.’
Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, meanwhile, also cut a frustrated figure after the defeat at Old Trafford.
‘Not good, we go home with zero points and after the primary half we shouldn’t be comfortable in any respect, we needs to be who we were firstly of the second half,’ he said.
‘I don’t deal with next season, I deal with these three games, we wish Champions League next season because we belong there but we’ll see what happens in the longer term.’
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