Liverpool news: Arne Slot faces ‘worry’ in defence as star blasts VAR and confession made

Liverpool finally tasted defeat this season and it came in the most dramatic and painful fashion possible. For weeks, Arne Slot’s men had been living on the edge, pulling out late goals, turning defeats into draws, and draws into wins. Liverpool had started to carry that aura where fans believed no matter the situation, something magical would happen in the dying minutes. Federico Chiesa’s late equaliser against Crystal Palace felt like another chapter in that fairytale. But then came Eddie Nketiah in the 97th minute, and Selhurst Park exploded. The champions had been stunned, and suddenly the weaknesses that had been quietly ignored were on full display.

The match itself was a mirror of Liverpool’s season. Slot’s side had been flirting with danger for too long. Almost every single game this season had been decided in the final ten minutes. It was thrilling, it was chaotic, it was emotional—but it was not sustainable. Against Palace, the drama finally turned against them. The same late-goal energy that Liverpool had built their reputation on was used to break them. Fans could not believe it. One second they were celebrating Chiesa’s strike, the next second they were holding their heads in disbelief as Nketiah punished a defence that simply wasn’t sharp enough.

Micah Richards did not hide his feelings. On Match of the Day, he looked almost worried. “Konate is starting to worry me,” he said. Those words carried weight. Ibrahima Konate has often been seen as Virgil van Dijk’s natural partner, the defender to take the mantle for the next generation. But lately, his form has slipped. Against Palace, he was bullied by Jean-Philippe Mateta in the first half, and Richards pointed it out. He described the Liverpool defence as “sloppy” and “nervy”—two words you rarely associate with Van Dijk’s leadership at the back.

Alan Shearer joined in the criticism, and he went even harder. “They were all over the place,” Shearer said, describing how Palace cut Liverpool open repeatedly in the first half. He claimed that without Alisson in goal, Liverpool could have been down four or five at half-time. That was the shocking part: Liverpool’s defence, the same one that had once looked unbreakable, now looked fragile, confused, and uncertain. Palace were not just lucky—they were brave, quick, and ruthless. They exposed everything Slot’s side had been trying to cover up.

And then came the VAR drama, because what is a Premier League classic without it? Federico Chiesa’s equaliser almost did not stand. Palace defender Chris Richards was furious after the game, pointing to what he believed was a clear Mohamed Salah handball in the build-up. On social media, Richards posted a freeze-frame with the words: “I knew I wasn’t seeing things. #Justice.” His frustration was real, even though VAR had checked it and ruled there was no conclusive evidence. The Premier League Match Centre released a statement confirming the referee’s decision was correct to allow the goal. But for Palace fans, that didn’t matter. They had the last laugh when Nketiah struck late. Richards’ anger was swallowed by the joy of victory, but his words still echoed—the VAR debate around Liverpool continues to follow them everywhere.

For Arne Slot, the defeat was more than just three points dropped. It was a lesson, maybe even a warning. He admitted openly after the match that Palace “deserved to be up by two or three goals” in the first half. He admitted that Alisson saved them, and he admitted that conceding from another set piece late in the game was simply not good enough. There was no sugarcoating it. This was the first time this season Slot looked almost helpless. He said Liverpool were much better in the second half, but he could not hide the fact that Palace deserved the win. And when a manager confesses like that, you know the problem is real.

This defeat has opened up several storylines for Liverpool. The first is about Ibrahima Konate. His form is now a serious worry, and pundits are starting to doubt him. The second is about Liverpool’s reliance on late goals. Slot has created a thrilling, never-say-die team, but can you win a Premier League title relying on 90th-minute miracles? And the third is about discipline and decision-making—Hugo Ekitike’s suspension meant Alexander Isak was thrown in for his first league start, while Florian Wirtz was brought back after his slow start. The balance wasn’t right, and Liverpool paid for it.

The mood around Anfield after this game was mixed. Some fans argued it was just “one bad day.” Others pointed out that the warning signs had been there all along. Liverpool had been surviving more than dominating, and eventually, someone was going to make them pay. Palace did exactly that. Oliver Glasner’s team have now gone 18 league matches unbeaten and sit third in the table. They played without fear, pressed with energy, and when the chance came in the 97th minute, they didn’t miss.

Slot is not Jurgen Klopp, and that comparison is starting to weigh heavy. Klopp’s Liverpool, even in bad games, had a kind of steel. You rarely saw them look “sloppy” at the back. But Slot’s version, while exciting going forward, is still a work in progress defensively. If Konate struggles, if Van Dijk shows signs of slowing down, if the midfield doesn’t protect properly—suddenly Liverpool look vulnerable. This game was proof of that.

The fallout will continue all week. VAR debates, pundit criticism, questions about players, questions about Slot’s tactics—it is the kind of loss that shakes a fanbase. For Palace, it was pure joy. For Liverpool, it was pain mixed with a strange sense of inevitability. They had been living dangerously, and finally, the danger caught up with them.

And yet, this is football. One defeat doesn’t define a season. But for Arne Slot, this defeat might define how he reacts. Does he double down on his system? Does he rotate more? Does he drop Konate? Does he demand defensive reinforcements in January? These are the questions that will decide if Liverpool stay in the title race or slowly fade.u

Because in the Premier League, one small weakness can turn into a big story very quickly. Liverpool’s defence has been exposed, and now the whole league has seen it