Arne Slot’s shocking decision sees Liverpool drop more points against Chelsea

Liverpool walked into Stamford Bridge on Saturday night knowing the importance of the match. After back-to-back defeats, Arne Slot’s men needed a result. The pressure was heavy, the atmosphere tense, and the eyes of the football world were on them. But when the final whistle blew, Liverpool were once again broken. Chelsea snatched a last-gasp 95th-minute winner through 18-year-old Brazilian wonderkid Estêvão, and the Reds were left with their third straight defeat.

The game was brutal, not just because of the scoreline, but because of the performance. For all of Liverpool’s fight, for all of their flashes of brilliance through Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, and Florian Wirtz, the team lacked control. The problems were clear for everyone to see, and Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville, a man who has never hidden his feelings when it comes to Liverpool, did not hold back.

Neville, speaking during the game, singled out one man—not Alexis Mac Allister, not Salah, not Wirtz, but centre-back Ibrahima Konaté. According to Neville, Konaté was not only frustrating the fans but was actively *annoying Arne Slot* himself. His performance on the ball, his walking pace, and his lack of urgency drove everyone mad. Neville’s words cut deep:

“If you watch Konaté on the ball at the start of the second half, he was just walking with it,” Neville said live on commentary. “It was frustrating and annoying me, to be honest. I think he was annoying Arne Slot as well because he’s decided to get someone on who is better on the ball at the back but can’t defend as well. He’s going all in.”

The frustration from Neville echoed what millions watching at home were feeling. Liverpool’s defence, once so secure, now looks shaky. Virgil van Dijk is still the leader, but without a reliable partner beside him, the cracks are obvious. And Konaté, the man expected to be that partner, has been a shadow of himself in recent weeks.

Against Chelsea, it was the same story. From the first half, he looked hesitant, lacking sharpness, and unwilling to push the ball forward with urgency. In a match where tempo was key, his slow play stood out like a sore thumb. Slot’s frustration boiled over, and by the 56th minute, the Frenchman was hauled off. His replacement? Curtis Jones.

Yes, Curtis Jones, a central midfielder by trade, was brought on, while Ryan Gravenberch was asked to drop into defence. And the shocking thing? Liverpool looked more comfortable. Gravenberch, calm on the ball, moved play forward with confidence, something Konaté had failed to do. The change said everything.

But the defeat cannot be pinned on one man alone. Liverpool’s problems run deeper. The match started in nightmare fashion. On 14 minutes, Moises Caicedo let fly from distance. The ball soared, unstoppable, into the back of the net. Chelsea led, Stamford Bridge erupted, and Liverpool were chasing again.

The Reds tried to respond. Salah twisted and turned, Wirtz probed, and eventually, on 63 minutes, they found their equaliser. It was Cody Gakpo, sharp and alert inside the box, who pounced after Alexander Isak’s touch created the chance. Liverpool fans roared, the away end bouncing, believing a comeback was on.

But this Liverpool team has developed a painful habit. Against Crystal Palace, they conceded late. Against Galatasaray in the Champions League, they conceded late. And against Chelsea, it happened again. In the 95th minute, with the game seemingly heading for a draw, Marc Cucurella delivered a cross to the far post. Waiting there was Estêvão, just 18 years old, cool as ice. He slid the ball past Alisson, and Stamford Bridge exploded. Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool. Game over.

The loss stung, not only because it was last-gasp heartbreak, but because it was the third in a row. Liverpool, once top of the Premier League just two weeks ago, now sit second, one point behind Arsenal. The momentum is gone, the questions are piling up, and the pressure on Arne Slot is growing heavier.

Neville’s comments about Konaté summed up the feeling. Liverpool fans expected more from him. Signed to be the next great defender, to carry on the tradition of powerful, commanding centre-backs, he now looks uncertain. His injuries in past seasons have slowed his progress, and now, when the team needs him most, he is faltering.

Slot himself offered an explanation after the game. He revealed that Konaté felt something in his quad, a small issue that raised alarm bells. “If the game had gone on like this I would have made the change a bit later but did not want to take the risk,” Slot said. He admitted it wasn’t coincidence that Liverpool improved once Gravenberch dropped into defence.

The question, however, is bigger than a minor injury. Is Konaté the man to partner Van Dijk long-term? Can he handle the responsibility? Or is his inconsistency becoming too costly for a Liverpool side that dreams of titles?

Fans are divided. Some defend him, saying he is simply out of rhythm, that he needs games to rebuild confidence. Others argue it is time to look for new options, to give Jarell Quansah more chances, or to bring in a new signing in January. The debate rages, but the reality is simple—Liverpool cannot afford many more games like this.

Three defeats in a week. Crystal Palace, Galatasaray, and Chelsea. Each one a body blow. Each one marked by late goals, defensive lapses, and missed chances. The aura of control, of confidence, is slipping. Arsenal are top, Manchester City are lurking, and now even Chelsea are rising.

The international break comes at a strange time. For Liverpool, it may be a blessing. Time to reset, time to heal, time to reflect. But when they return, the test is massive—Manchester United at Anfield on October 19. A match that could either spark a revival or deepen the crisis.

For Konaté, the pressure is personal. Slot’s annoyance was clear, Neville’s criticism was harsh, and the fans are restless. He cannot afford to be “annoying” anymore. He must rise, he must fight, he must prove that he belongs in this Liverpool defence. Otherwise, his place in the starting XI will not be safe.

Football is ruthless. Heroes can fall in weeks, villains can be forgiven in moments. Konaté’s story is not finished, but right now, the chapters are painful. Liverpool fans will forgive mistakes, but they will not forgive carelessness, they will not forgive slowness, and they will not forgive a lack of fight.

Arne Slot has decisions to make. His system demands defenders who can play, who can pass, who can control the tempo from the back. If Konaté cannot adapt, Slot will move on. That is the reality of elite football. Liverpool demand excellence, and excuses will not last forever.

So, the night at Stamford Bridge was more than a defeat. It was a warning. A warning that Liverpool’s problems are real, that their weaknesses are being exposed, and that unless changes are made, the title dream may fade before Christmas.

For now, the story belongs to Chelsea, to Caicedo’s rocket, to Estêvão’s winner, to their celebrations deep into the night. For Liverpool, the story is about questions, doubts, and one centre-back who, in the words of Gary Neville, was “annoying” his own manager.

The road ahead is tough. The fixtures will not get easier. The fans demand a response. And for Ibrahima Konaté, the time to respond is now. Because in football, reputations can vanish in a flash. And right now, his is hanging by a thread