Newcastle fans have furiously responded to Arne Slot's post-match comments after Liverpool secured a 100th-minute winner at St James' Park on Monday night. The Magpies were the dominant side throughout much of the game despite Anthony Gordon's red card at the end of the first half, but failed to take their chances and were left pointless after Rio Ngumoha came off the bench to snatch victory in the dying embers of the game.
Despite the fact the hosts failed to come away with anything, they were praised by the likes of Jamie Carragher, who said that the better team lost on the night. However, Reds boss Slot offered a contrasting view that did not go down well with the Newcastle faithful.
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Speaking to Sky Sports post-match, Slot was posed a question by presenter Dave Jones, who had previously said that the game was one of the most exciting football matches in recent memory. However, the Dutchman argued that there was not much football being played, in what appeared to be a dig at Newcastle's style of play.
This is not the first time Eddie Howe's side have been hit with criticism over their approach, with Mikel Arteta also having done so in the past. But Slot appeared to double down on the sentiment, saying:
"I think I heard you correctly. You were saying football match. I'm not sure if I saw a football match today. It was set-piece after set-piece, long throws - it didn't have a lot to do with tactics as I said before the game. But I liked a lot how we stood strong. Very difficult first half hour, 45 minutes. But, we didn't collapse at all. We stood strong and because of that we went 1-0 up.
"They, going down to ten men, you would expect is a big plus for us. But when a goalkeeper takes every free-kick then there's not so much help if you are one player up and that's why it was so difficult for us."
Slot's decision to lambast Newcastle's style of play and insinuate they relied on set-pieces, despite being at a numerical disadvantage for more than half of the game, did not go down well with supporters online. One responded to the video saying: "Really disrespectful comments from Slot. No harm in playing direct football if it gets you the best chance to win. Why should Newcastle play a style to suit him? Shows his lack of tactical nous if he and his team cannot deal with that style."
A second stated: "You play a football match in a way that best suits you. What did he expect Newcastle to do with 10 men? Attempt to pass their way around? Stupid comment," while a third chimed in with: "Arne Slot calling us a dirty long ball team, I see. He’s really picked up the Klopp thing, hasn’t he?"
A fourth responded: "Arne Slot on Sky Sports ridiculing Newcastle saying we ‘didn’t play football’ is absolutely mental. We played much better football for 80 minutes today," while a fifth shared a similar sentiment by saying: "Hugely disrespectful interview from Arne Slot with Sky just now making out we just hoofed ball up from keeper to [Dan] Burn all game. We were much more than that, we were the better team for most the game!"
A sixth added: "Slot saying ‘absolutely no tactics in today’s game’ and that it wasn’t football. The reality is Arne that you’ve just been tactically outclassed AGAIN by Eddie Howe managing 10 men. Football is football. Delusional and pathetic response to his side getting away with it," while a seventh summarised: "Poor from him this. They deployed a fair few dark arts tactics themselves & needed a 16yr old to bail them out against 10 men. A bit more class is required here Arne."
What Slot may be even more concerned about is that the Newcastle game marked the second consecutive fixture where Liverpool threw away a two-goal lead, with defensive frailties and issues in midfield again being highlighted as a major concern of the Dutchman's second-season revolution at Anfield.