Liverpool boss Arne Slot says his staff solely have themselves accountable for the 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth regardless of citing the wind, fixture congestion and accidents after the sport.
Amine Adli bundled dwelling a last-gasp winner with just about 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.
Highlights from the Premier League conflict between Bournemouth and Liverpool
The loss arrived three days after the Reds beat Marseille 3-0 away from dwelling within the Champions League and regardless of Slot saying “the one ones accountable 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.
“Possibly 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 accountable are ourselves,” he stated.
Slot added: “I feel it’s protected to say they might’ve scored the 3-2 a bit of bit earlier. Just a few 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 in opposition to one of the vital 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, taking part in Alejandro Jimenez onside for the second after which tripping over team-mate Curtis Jones amongst the chaos for Adli’s late winner.
Amine Adil snatched essentially the most dramatic win for Bournemouth over Liverpool.
Chatting with Sky Sports activities, Van Dijk stated: “The primary objective I feel it was a troublesome ball to guage within the circumstances. The wind was difficult.
“I take full duty regardless that it was a troublesome ball to guage.”
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 must settle for it. I can stand right here and say it shouldn’t be given but it surely 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 job.
He stated: “It’s not fully truthful to Virgil accountable him for the primary objective. You’ll be able to see all through the sport how a lot influence the wind had.
“He wasn’t the one one who struggled with the wind.”
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk complains afrer Bournemouth’s late winner
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 stop the opener, Joe Gomez picked up an damage, which Slot has since confirmed as a knock from “bone-to-bone contact” with Alisson Becker.
With Gomez injured, Liverpool have been pressured 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.
Jamie Redknapp criticised the time Liverpool took to switch Joe Gomez as Bournemouth doubled their lead whereas the defender was injured, labelling it as ‘amateurish’
“The second objective was after we have been all the way down to 10. After the primary objective, Joe Gomez needed to go off. He needed 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 have been fairly snug. After we misplaced it, it was the other. However even in case you are down 10, the best way we conceded that objective was not particularly as a result of we have been all the way down to 10.
“It’s only a winger that’s shocking our fullback in a scenario we might have accomplished higher.”
One other recreation, one other damage for Liverpool
Gomez will now be part of a rising record 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 counsel he didn’t wish to make excuses however the Liverpool boss then defined that damage issues plaguing his squad clarify why they have not been capable of 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 come back again in opposition to one of many fittest groups within the league – and so they solely should play as soon as per week.
“That’s not an excuse; a membership like Liverpool is used to taking part in thrice per week. However we primarily do that with the identical gamers.
“Final season, we didn’t have three long-term accidents. As you possibly can 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 accessible for the upcoming weeks and months. With so many matches to play, it’s a must to handle his minutes.”
So, they solely have themselves accountable – plus the wind, fixture congestion and accidents.
