Arne Slot has backed a former member of his staff as legendary ex-boss Jurgen Klopp has been given the last laugh
Arne Slot speaking
Arne Slot defended one of his former coaches(Image: Liverpool FC)
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Liverpool will aim to secure a third consecutive victory when they face Nottingham Forest on Sunday. The Reds have been plagued by inconsistency this season and manager Arne Slot understands they cannot afford to surrender many more points in the battle for Champions League qualification.
Despite their disappointing spell towards the end of 2025, Liverpool have suffered just two Premier League defeats this calendar year. Bournemouth overcame the Reds in late January whilst Manchester City inflicted a rare Anfield defeat on Slot's team earlier this month.
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The club's improved fortunes can perhaps be linked to the exit of set piece coach Aaron Briggs, with the Reds appearing more solid from dead ball situations since his departure. However, in today's news, Slot has dismissed any criticism of his former coach.
Meanwhile, former Reds manager Jurgen Klopp appears to have been vindicated after an ex-Liverpool player engineered an early departure from his boyhood club.
Arne Slot backs coach
Slot has supported former Liverpool set-piece coach Briggs. Liverpool split with Briggs on December 30 following the club's concession of 13 goals from set-pieces across 26 matches.
During that period they managed only eight goals from dead ball situations. Liverpool have only let in two set-piece goals and netted eight in the 12 matches since Briggs' departure.
Slot was questioned on Thursday about the team's strategy regarding set pieces but argued it was inappropriate to lay the blame solely at Briggs' feet.
"I'm happy that you asked that question because it would be very unfair to Aaron, who was only partly responsible for that, because in the end I'm responsible for everything," Slot said.
Aaron Briggs looks on while in the dugout for Liverpool
Aaron Briggs left Liverpool in December(Image: 2024 AMA Sports Photo Agency)
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"In the end it's always my responsibility. But we were, in that period of time, so, so, so unlucky. We all knew that it couldn't go on like that, because we hardly conceded a chance from set-pieces but every goal went in, and we created multiple opportunities to score and the ball didn't go in.
"So that things return to normal now is something which we anticipated. Aaron had an analyst and the two of them were primarily accountable for it – in the end I'm responsible, but they did the work. That hasn't changed.
"So Lewis [Mahoney, first-team set-piece analyst] does the main work and then we have a meeting together and we look at the last details. But overall we didn't alter that much, we perhaps made one or two minor adjustments but we didn't change much.
"What changed is things returned to normal, because in the Champions League, when Aaron was with us, we were already very good – I think we were No. 1 in set-pieces. I would mainly say things returned to normal and we've tweaked one or two small things."
Jurgen Klopp proven right
Ex-Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho has confirmed his departure from yet another club. The Brazilian was famously cautioned that he would rue leaving Liverpool as he pushed for a transfer to Barcelona during the 2017/18 campaign.
Coutinho has now informed Vasco da Gama, his boyhood club, of his desire to terminate his contract. Reports emerging from Brazil indicate that the news took Vasco by surprise, with the club even commencing talks with the 33-year-old about a new deal.
Coutinho's current contract was due to expire in June. His decision appears to have been influenced by criticism from supporters, having been jeered during a recent home match.
Jurgen Klopp speaks to Philippe Coutinho
Coutinho's career went downhill after he ignored Jurgen Klopp's advice(Image: Getty Images)
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This represents another disappointing chapter in a career that has failed to live up to expectations since Klopp issued a warning just prior to his Barcelona move in early 2018.
The German had said: "Stay here [Liverpool] and they will end up building a statue in your honour. Go somewhere else, to Barcelona, to Bayern Munich, to Real Madrid, and you will be just another player. Here you can be something more."
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The midfielder's stint at Camp Nou included a loan spell at Bayern Munich and concluded in 2022. An attempt to resurrect his career at Aston Villa under Steven Gerrard started promisingly but ultimately faltered.
He also had stints at Al-Duhail in Qatar and Vasco before sealing a permanent switch from Villa to the latter last year.