Arne Slot was visibly angry as he sat in front of journalists after Liverpool’s 3-2 loss at Man United, blaming “stupid” errors and VAR calls for the “whole season.”
Slot suffered his 19th defeat of the season as Liverpool fought back to 2-2 at Old Trafford only to concede a Kobbie Mainoo winner midway through the second half.
It left the Dutchman facing more scrutiny over his job, and the circumstances of Sunday’s defeat left him furious as he addressed the media.
Asked about Benjamin Sesko’s goal for 2-0, which went in via the Man United striker’s hand but was not ruled out by VAR Stuart Attwell, Slot used the opportunity to vent his frustrations at a “whole season” of decisions.
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“If it was a touch – which I think it is, because [the way the ball moved] there must have been a contact – is that enough to disallow a goal?” he began.
“I think the rule is if there was a touch it should have been disallowed.
“But I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone this season that if there is a VAR intervention or if there is something you could look at – could be left, could be right – then that decision goes against us.
“That has been, the whole season, every single time the same.
Slot frustrated with VAR: “That has been our whole season”
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 3, 2026: Manchester United's Benjamin Šeško scores the second goal during the FA Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Liverpool FC at Old Trafford. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
“I remember Paris Saint-Germain at home, getting a penalty for a soft touch on Mac Allister, but of course the VAR intervenes and say ‘no, this is not a penalty’.
“One week later I see Paris Saint-Germain playing against Bayern Munich and that same soft touch, the penalty stays.
“I saw last week my goalkeeper on the floor with an injury and the referee doesn’t stop the game. I see a player of United off the pitch today and the referee stops the game when we tried to play on.
“That has been our whole season, but the second goal we did not concede because of a handball, we conceded it because we lost the ball in a stupid position and we lost a few big moments afterwards in duels.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 3, 2026: Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha reacts to his shot going wide during the FA Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Liverpool FC at Old Trafford. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
“We have to first look at ourselves, let that be completely clear. But that decisions have gone, every single game, against us, that’s also completely clear.
“When we played United in the first game this season I had one of my players [needing] five stitches on the floor, the referee didn’t stop the game and we conceded.
“This is a complete pattern over the whole season. But there’s also a pattern that we concede ridiculous goals when we are the better team, when one or two switch off and we concede a goal.
“That we have more influence on, so I should focus much more on that than these referee decisions that go against us – but it’s clear that it’s the whole season the same.”