Arne Slot has insisted that his new full-backs are not to blame for Liverpool's defensive issues this season, despite the team conceding seven goals in six Premier League games. The introduction of Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez has been cited as a factor, but Slot says the problem is collective and highlighted set-piece defending as a key area for improvement.
Speaking ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash with Galatasaray, Slot said: 'Look into more details – we’ve conceded four goals from set pieces this season. We’ve changed our full-backs – we’ve changed a bit more than our full-backs – but when I think about the goals we’ve conceded the first thing that comes to mind is not that the full-backs are a problem.'
Liverpool lost 2-1 to Crystal Palace on Saturday, with both goals coming from set pieces. Slot noted that set pieces are becoming increasingly decisive in modern football, adding: 'More and more in football it is becoming a set-piece game... I see teams in the Premier League that win games by set pieces and we lose games by set pieces.'
Galatasaray scored 24 set-piece goals last season, including penalties, and Slot acknowledged their threat. However, he recalled Liverpool's strength in that area last season, including Virgil van Dijk's winning set-piece goal in their last Champions League match. Slot also confirmed that Federico Chiesa was left out of the travelling squad due to a minor injury.
