Arne Slot: Liverpool boss cites wind, fixture cong...

Liverpool boss Arne Slot says his staff solely have themselves guilty for the 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth regardless of citing the wind, fixture congestion and accidents after the sport.

Amine Adli bundled house a last-gasp winner with nearly the final kick to finish Liverpool’s 13-game unbeaten run with a seventh defeat of the Premier League marketing campaign.

Liverpool stay fourth after the defeat – 14 factors adrift of leaders Arsenal – and will slip out of the Champions League locations when Manchester United and Chelsea play on Sunday.

The loss arrived three days after the Reds beat Marseille 3-0 away from house within the Champions League and regardless of Slot saying “the one ones guilty are ourselves” throughout his post-match press convention, the Reds boss was fast to criticise the brief turnaround between fixtures, resulting in his gamers “working out of power” on Saturday.

“Perhaps that sums up our season. Each time one thing else, it is each time one thing particular, how we concede however we concede. The one ones guilty are ourselves,” he stated.

Slot added: “I feel it’s protected to say they may’ve scored the 3-2 a bit of bit earlier. A number of gamers of ours ran out of power, and I can not criticise them for that.

“Two days in the past, we needed to play an away recreation in Europe. We’re the one staff that performed Champions League that has two days in between.

“After an away recreation, one other away recreation towards one of the intense groups.”

Why Slot and Van Dijk blamed wind for loss

Except for fixtures piling up on his injury-laden squad, Slot additionally referenced the wind within the aftermath of the defeat, together with captain Virgil van Dijk.

Van Dijk had a day to neglect after failing to clear the ball for Bournemouth’s first objective from Evanilson, enjoying Alejandro Jimenez onside for the second after which tripping over team-mate Curtis Jones amongst the chaos for Adli’s late winner.

Chatting with Sky Sports activities, Van Dijk stated: “The primary objective I feel it was a troublesome ball to evaluate within the circumstances. The wind was tough.

“I take full duty though it was a troublesome ball to evaluate.”

On the late winner, Van Dijk added: “What I felt on that pitch was that I used to be clearly blocked. The referee and the VAR do not give it.

“We should settle for it. I can stand right here and say it shouldn’t be given nevertheless it was. It’s what it’s.”

Slot was additionally requested about Van Dijk’s error for the opener, the place he defended his participant and agreed that the wind performed a task.

He stated: “It isn’t fully truthful to Virgil guilty him for the primary objective. You possibly can see all through the sport how a lot influence the wind had.

“He wasn’t the one one who struggled with the wind.”

Outnumbered or outclassed?

The mountain created for Liverpool to climb after the primary objective stretched additional than simply the scoreline.

Whereas making an attempt to forestall the opener, Joe Gomez picked up an harm, which Slot has since confirmed as a knock from “bone-to-bone contact” with Alisson Becker.

With Gomez injured, Liverpool had been compelled to play with 10 males for 9 minutes and selected to not kick the ball out to make a substitution, resulting in Bournemouth scoring their second.

“The second objective was once we had been all the way down to 10. After the primary objective, Joe Gomez needed to go off. He wished to attempt, he thought he might, however then he could not,” stated Slot.

“I attempted to scream in direction of them to place the ball out however we had been fairly snug. After we misplaced it, it was the alternative. However even if you’re down 10, the best way we conceded that objective was not particularly as a result of we had been all the way down to 10.

“It’s only a winger that’s stunning our fullback in a state of affairs we might have finished higher.”

One other recreation, one other harm for Liverpool

Gomez will now be a part of a rising checklist of gamers sidelined for Slot, with Conor Bradley, Federico Chiesa, Alexander Isak, Ibrahima Konate, Giovanni Leoni and Stefan Bajcetic all lacking the fixture.

Slot’s preliminary feedback recommend he didn’t need to make excuses however the Liverpool boss then defined that harm issues plaguing his squad clarify why they have not been in a position to replicate the successes throughout all competitions like final season.

Slot continued: “I’ve to credit score my gamers. You go 2-0 down however we confirmed the mentality and the health to return again towards one of many fittest groups within the league – they usually solely need to play as soon as every week.

“That’s not an excuse; a membership like Liverpool is used to enjoying thrice every week. However we primarily do that with the identical gamers.

“Final season, we didn’t have three long-term accidents. As you may see by the line-up, I made a decision to not play Hugo [Ekitike]. That’s not as a result of I do not like him,” Slot stated.

“That’s as a result of I’ve one No 9 out there for the upcoming weeks and months. With so many matches to play, you must handle his minutes.”

So, they solely have themselves guilty – plus the wind, fixture congestion and accidents.