‘this Felt To Me The Right Decision’: Slot Defends Liverpool Selection For Palace Tie

Arne Slot said he had nary regrets complete fielding a weakened squad against Crystal Palace successful nan Carabao Cup and accepted he is nether unit arsenic ­Liverpool succumbed to a sixth conclusion successful 7 games.

Palace hit Liverpool for nan 3rd clip this play to beforehand into nan quarter-finals acknowledgment to 2 goals from Ismaïla Sarr and a first Palace extremity from Yéremy Pino. A ­comfortable 3-0 victory was aided by Slot’s determination to make 10 changes from nan Liverpool squad that started astatine Brentford connected Saturday, pinch 9 ­inexperienced youngsters connected the bench.

But Slot, who admitted selecting pinch an oculus connected Saturday’s Premier League crippled against Aston Villa, stood by his call. “It’s ever a rustle to suffer a game, particularly erstwhile it leads to going retired of a competition, but it’s nan aforesaid action I did past play successful these rounds,” said nan caput coach, who hopes to person Ryan Gravenberch backmost from wounded connected Saturday.

“There are galore reasons why we’ve mislaid six retired of seven, nary of them are bully capable to judge ­losing truthful many. Liverpool losing that galore is ever excessively much. Our ­performance against Brentford, 2 days aft we played Frankfurt away, I saw a squad that struggled pinch ­playing 3 games successful 7 days.

“In 2 days, we play Villa and nan past clip I played a subordinate I thought was fresh for that programme was Alexander Isak, but it turns retired he wasn’t and went retired pinch an injury.

“In nan past information we played Southampton and Giovanni Leoni was injured and we sewage 2 yellowish cards for Hugo Ekitiké. At this clip we person only 15 aliases 16 [senior] players disposable and this nine ever utilized this ­competition for their academy players. This felt nan correct determination and I haven’t changed my sentiment aft nan result. With our starters we haven’t been capable to hit Palace arsenic well.”

Slot acknowledged he was nether unit to apprehension Liverpool’s slump earlier nan Carabao Cup exit. “I don’t deliberation it’s imaginable that if you suffer 5 retired of six, that losing six retired of 7 location is moreover much pressure,” he said. “If you play for Liverpool aliases negociate Liverpool you cognize nan unit is there. I don’t deliberation it has changed overmuch aft this loss.”