Neville demands Slot drop ego and rethink Liverpool to save the season

Shifting the Setup: Neville’s Critique

Gary Neville, the former Manchester United legend, launched a fiery critique of Liverpool manager Arne Slot, urging radical tactical changes to salvage the season after the team’s poor Premier League start.

According to the Daily Mail, Neville believes Slot should move away from his favored 4-3-2-1 formation and adopt a sturdier 4-4-2 to strengthen the defense, while also restructuring key personnel and benching some senior players to restore discipline within the squad.

Liverpool’s 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest this week has left them in trouble, the sixth defeat in seven league games, and sitting 11 points behind leaders Arsenal.

The Road Ahead: Tactical Tweaks and Schedule

The team have conceded 20 goals in their first 12 matches, managing only three clean sheets. Against Forest, the lineup included Dominik Szoboszlai, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, and Milos Kerkez, but performances fell short of expectations.

On the Gary Neville Podcast, Neville argued that Slot should adjust the system to reinforce the midfield and defense, and consider changes in personnel to prevent vulnerabilities at the back and in transition. He questioned whether a four-man backline with a more compact structure might help protect the goal while still allowing attack through different personnel shapes.

In midfield, Neville proposed a compact quartet including Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, and Florian Wirtz or Cody Gakpo, with a potential reconfiguration that could involve leaving Mohamed Salah out and pairing Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak up front. The underlying message was simple: return to basics and drop ego-driven experiments that hamper solidity and consistency.

Big challenges

Slot has faced significant obstacles since Trent Alexander-Arnold’s move to Real Madrid last summer, which cut a productive right-side link with Salah. Injuries to Jérémy Frimbong and Conor Bradley have forced Szoboszlai into right-back duties, exposing the defense to gaps.

This loss marks the second in three matches at Anfield, matching a stretch that underlines the mounting pressure on Slot. Neville suggested a rethink, including possible positional shifts like Joe Gomez at right-back and Andy Robertson at left-back to deliver a tighter back line and better defensive discipline.

Slot, though, remains a high-quality coach, Neville noted, but stressed the need for difficult decisions and improved performances from players. New signings must prove they can contribute, while veteran leaders must provide stability in the dressing room to shoulder less pressure on newcomers.

Liverpool now faces a packed schedule: hosting PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday, traveling to London to face West Ham on Sunday, and then facing Sunderland at Anfield three days later in the Premier League.

Slot’s own reflections

Slot acknowledged that the responsibility rests with him, regardless of results, but praised the team’s continued effort and the fans’ support through tough moments. He admitted the team has recently squandered chances and that goals conceded at critical moments must end if the spell is to be reversed.

He emphasized the need for a decisive moment to score when playing well and acknowledged that Forest benefited from a surge of energy after their goal. Slot also warned that several factors could have yielded a different outcome under normal circumstances, but underlined that Liverpool finds themselves in a difficult position.

According to Slot, the club’s leadership and players must stay professional and focused, ignore online whispers, and trust in his plan as they navigate a challenging period.

Punchline time: If changing formations were as easy as changing socks, Liverpool would’ve won the league by now. Punchline two: Neville’s podcast deserves its own stand-up special—talk about turning a corner while turning up the heat.