'F*cking pathetic' - Liverpool boss Arne Slot torn to shreds for bizarre Benjamin Sesko selection claim before damaging defeat to Man Utd

Liverpool’s misery deepened on Sunday as they suffered a fourth straight defeat in all competitions, losing 2-1 to old foes United at Anfield. Bryan Mbeumo’s second-minute strike gave the visitors an early lead before Cody Gakpo levelled with 12 minutes to go. However, Harry Maguire’s late header sealed the win for United, leaving Liverpool third in the table and four points behind leaders Arsenal.

Slot voiced his frustration during his post-match interviews, criticising United for ‘playing low-block and long-ball football’. He had made a curious reference to United’s team selection before the game, pointing out that Sesko - who had scored in back-to-back games - had been dropped. The Dutchman said: "If you play United - who come here with a low block and playing a lot of long balls and you know that is going to be difficult as it's not easy to play through them and you don't get the chance to win the ball high up - and you concede after one or two minutes, it makes it harder.

"It's always difficult to defend against a team that defends in a low block, that mainly plays long balls. But it makes it even more difficult when you go 1-0 down after one minute when a player of ours is on the floor. "If you would have told me before the game that against the low block, against the team that plays so many long balls, we would have created as many chances as we did, I would not have expected us to lose this game of football."

Before the game, he said: "We've seen Sesko play the last three, four, five or six times, but they go to Liverpool they change the line-up. That's not the first where we've faced a team and they've done that."

@DanMillerPT wrote on X: F*cking pathetic. Klopp levels of w*nkery from this bald d*ckhead.”

Manchester United fan @nik_sim_mufc added: “In a shocking turn of events, Arne Slot finds out teams have more than 11 players.”

@sacredsaintmj said: “What the f*ck is even this as an excuse?? Man got so rattled he’s forgot United has options on the bench. His downfall will be sweet to watch.”

@Toto9732 wrote: “I am 100% serious. I have never heard anything as dumb as that. Maybe Slot should try picking the best and most fitting players for every match. Even Liverpool supporters agree with me there.”

@OnlyArsenalFeed concluded: “So he wants Arsenal to score less corners. United to not change formations. Referees to give them a foul if their player is down cause it’s ‘Liverpool’. Is this bald fraud the biggest excuse king already?”

Slot’s comments contrasted sharply with United manager Ruben Amorim’s measured explanation for benching Sesko. The Portuguese boss revealed that he wanted to use Matheus Cunha’s physicality and pressing ability to trouble Liverpool’s centre-backs, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate. Amorim said: “Cunha returning to the team - I think he’s one player who has one characteristic that can help us to push the team forward.”

He added that United’s tactical shift was about exploiting spaces rather than relying on Sesko’s aerial threat, a move that paid off as Amorim’s men claimed their first league win at Anfield since 2016. The United boss later elaborated: “Sometimes the characteristics of the game change the way we approach it. Cunha in the middle, if we put Ben, it is easier for these kinds of centre-backs to control our striker.” His decision ultimately silenced critics and left Slot’s remarks looking increasingly ill-judged.

Meanwhile, Slot’s Liverpool side are struggling to rediscover their rhythm. Despite striking the post three times against United, they were wasteful in front of goal and vulnerable defensively. The defeat means the Reds have now gone four games without a win for the first time since 2014, a worrying trend that threatens to derail their title challenge.

Liverpool will have a chance to respond when they face Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday, a fixture that now carries added importance. Slot is under mounting pressure to stop the slump and restore confidence after back-to-back Premier League defeats. A fifth straight loss would only intensify the scrutiny surrounding the Dutchman’s leadership, and could very well put his job under threat if it seems he is unable to turn things around.