Arne Slot hit out at VAR after Liverpool’s defeat at Manchester United on Sunday, claiming it was no surprise a video assistant referee intervention went against his side at Old Trafford, while Jamie Carragher brought up a major concern the club face if they persist with the Dutchman in charge.
Despite rallying after trailing 2-0 to pull the game level, the Reds conceded a late striker to Kobbie Mainoo to put Champions League qualification on hold for now.
And, while Slot insists his Liverpool side must also take a hard look at themselves to stop conceding “ridiculous goals”, he was left stunned at how Benjamin Sesko’s goal that put United 2-0 up was allowed to stand when a clear handball was involved.
“If it was a touch, which I think it is, in a ball sport it has a certain curve and it changes it must be a contact, then we should have a debate if that is enough to disallow a goal,” said a furious Slot as he banged his fist on the table in his post-match media conference.
“I don’t think it is a surprise to anyone this season that if there is a VAR intervention it goes against us – it has been the whole season the same.
“I remember Paris St-Germain at home, getting a penalty for a soft touch on [Alexis] Mac Allister. VAR intervened and it was not a penalty. The next week, PSG gets one.
“But the second goal, we did not concede because of the handball. We lost it because we lost the ball in a stupid position so we have to first look at ourselves. This is a complete pattern over the season but there is also a pattern that we concede ridiculous goals.”
Former England striker Alan Shearer agreed, telling BBC Match of the Day: “I think it was handball. I don’t want to see goals disallowed for that but when they are applying the law it should have been disallowed.”
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Carragher has growing fears over Liverpool style change
Meanwhile, Anfield legend Jamie Carragher has voiced his concerns over Liverpool’s identity under Slot, pointing to the focus on technical players, which is in complete contrast to Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool’s overall intensity and physicality was questioned once again in the defeat at Old Trafford, having lost the duel count (49-38), while they also completed far fewer tackles (19-8).
And in his post-match analysis of the game on Sky Sports, Carragher questioned if Slot’s side have the physicality required to compete at the top of the Premier League, despite their title triumph last season.
Carragher feels that Slot’s slow, technical, possession-based style under Slot will make Liverpool worse in the long run, with the Dutchman’s position under threat anyway due to the hugely disappointing domestic campaign.
“You mentioned that we don’t know what Liverpool are. But is the point that we do know what they are, and it’s what we’re seeing?” Carragher started.
“It’s not going to be like Klopp. We can’t be a club who continue for the next five or 10 years saying ‘we want Jurgen Klopp football’.
“The fella’s a genius. He does that football better than anybody. So whatever manager comes in, he’s going to play his football.
“The worry is not that there’s no identity; that is the identity. Don’t forget Arne Slot‘s a Dutch coach, Dutch way of doing things. Possession, technical football.
“You think of the players that have been brought in, they’re not Klopp players. So when people keep saying it’s the recruitment upstairs – that was the recruitment team who were there with Klopp.
“They’re bringing a different style of players in, so it’s on the manager that. I go back to last year, when Liverpool didn’t sign anybody, but the one player he wanted was Zubimendi.
“Again, another technical footballer. I’m not saying that doesn’t work, the most successful team in the Premier League the last 10 years has been a technical football team.
“But we’re going away from what Jurgen Klopp was because this manager wants that.
“This is where he’s taking this team, and that’s the worry for me: is this actually going to go more the other way?
“Are they thinking ‘Liverpool need to go back to last season’ or is Arne Slot thinking ‘No, we actually need more technical footballers’?”