GARY LINEKER says that Arne Slot has made him “nervous” after the Dutchman criticised Jarell Quansah following Liverpool’s win over Ipswich.
Liverpool got their Premier League season off to a winning start with a 2-0 win over Ipswich at Portman Road.
But Quansah was sacrificed at half-time by Slot, with the Dutchman accusing the player of failing to win his duels.
Explaining the decision, Slot said: “First thing I said – we don’t have to speak about tactics if you lose so many duels.
“Jarell lost every duel, many of us lost too many duels. We needed Konate to win the long balls for the number nine. That gave us control.
“They put so much energy in the first half, keeping fighting, playing all over the pitch 1 vs 1, I don’t think they could keep up that tempo in the second half.”
Asked whether the decision to take Quansah off at the break was tactical, Slot simply replied: “Yep.”
Slot’s comments didn’t set well with Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, who were digesting this weekend’s results on The Rest is Football.
Lineker said: “Speaking out publicly about a player’s performance is not something that I think you’d have ever heard from Jurgen Klopp so there’s already a slight difference there.
“It always makes me slightly nervous when managers are critical of their players.”
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Shearer added: “It wasn’t an experienced player though, was it? You just wonder if he would have done the same with an experienced player,” to which Richards replied: “Correct, Alan!”
The Newcastle legend then continued: “It’s easier to do it with a younger player than someone who is a big hitter.
“To be fair, it worked but I thought the same when he said that, Gaz.”
Quansah entered a total of eight duels during his 45 minutes at Portman Road, winning four and losing four.
They included two ground duels won out of four, plus two aerial duels won out of four.
Slot’s faith in Quansah will be tested when the Reds are next in action. They host Brentford at Anfield at 4.30pm on Sunday.
By Dan King
LIVERPOOL’S new manager Arne Slot was a good enough player to have a type of pass named after him.
But it is as a manager that the Feyenoord head coach is really making his mark.
Like another bald Dutchman, Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag, Slot earned his stripes bossing smaller sides before being given a chance at one of the Netherlands’ big three.
But the question Liverpool are pondering is whether Slot would make a better fist of running one of the biggest clubs in the world than Ten Hag so far has at Old Trafford.
Slot, 45, was certainly easier on the eye as a player than centre back Ten Hag.
“The Arne Slot Ball” was something he perfected as a silky No 10 – a back-to-goal, first-time, 180-degree spin and flick behind the defensive line for a winger to run on to deep in the opposition half.
Click here to read all about the incoming Liverpool boss.
