Arne Slot has finally addressed the storm around his recent comments on Liverpool’s squad depth — and the Dutchman insists there’s no problem at all.
Following Liverpool’s 3-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Crystal Palace, Slot raised eyebrows when he compared his team’s resources to Manchester City and Chelsea.
Many fans took it as a subtle dig at the club’s recruitment or lack of depth. But speaking ahead of the clash with Aston Villa, the Liverpool boss made it clear that his words were misunderstood.
“I’m happy that you ask this question,” Slot said when asked to clarify.
“I’m completely happy with the team, with all the quality that we have. I’m also completely convinced with the strategy and the policy that we have.”
His calm tone was a contrast to the online buzz that followed his midweek comments. Slot explained that his issue was not about depth, but about player availability.
Arne Slot reveals reason behind player injuries
Slot pointed out that several key players had limited or no pre-season, while others have faced persistent injuries. That, he said, created the impression of a thin squad.
“The issue, if you could call it that, is that not all of them have had a proper pre-season or have been injured during the season. So then when three or four are injured, you go back to 16 players.”
Liverpool were missing Alisson, Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, Giovanni Leoni, Alexander Isak, and several others against Palace.
Slot also rested key names like Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Dominik Szoboszlai with an eye on a brutal week ahead — Aston Villa, Real Madrid, and Manchester City.
In typical Slot fashion, he refused to make excuses for recent results, adding that the congested schedule has tested even his fittest players.
“We are struggling a bit more to keep them fit,” he admitted, “but that’s football. Maybe last season we were more lucky, and now we’re a bit more unlucky.”
For Slot, it’s about managing the storm rather than complaining about the rain — quite literally after a week of gloomy Anfield nights. With Gravenberch now back and more players nearing fitness, the coming fixtures will show whether his trust in the squad truly pays off.