'What a stupid choice' - Arne Slot hits back at criticism of his team selection after Liverpool dumped out of Carabao Cup by Crystal Palace

Speaking to Sky Sports at the full-time whistle, Slot claimed he had little choice but to give youth and fringe players an opportunity to start with a huge week on the horizon for his side. He said it would have been a "stupid choice" if a first-team regular had picked up an injury in the cup tie.

The Reds face Aston Villa, Real Madrid - including potentially the return of Trent Alexander-Arnold - and Manchester City within the space of eight days as they look to get their season quickly back on track, but a sixth defeat in seven games will have done nothing to help the atmosphere around the club after the Eagles left Anfield with a comprehensive three-goal victory.

Slot’s defensive selection was particularly striking, as third-choice Freddie Woodman made a debut in goal, Calvin Ramsay came in from the cold to start at right-back and both Wataru Endo and Andy Robertson started out of position in the centre of a back five alongside Joe Gomez. The fact that the underperforming Milos Kerkez was the only player to keep his place in the XI only raises further questions - though Palace boss Oliver Glasner claimed it would be "disrespectful" to claim Liverpool had fielded a weakened side.

Three teenagers were also handed a start, Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni earning a chance to impress while 18-year-old Kieran Morrison made his debut for the club. Several more young players came off the bench, including Amara Nallo – who was sent off to receive a second red card in two appearances and just 16 minutes for Liverpool’s senior side.

"Everybody can have [their] opinion about it but with the squad we have - maybe 15, 16 first-team players available - this is the choice I've made," Slot told Sky Sports.

But he conceded: "It's not of Liverpool's standards to lose five out of six, or six out of seven.”

"Last time we played Southampton here in the League Cup, Giovanni Leoni got injured, and we don't have such a big squad as people might tell, because there was so much focus on the amount of money we spent [in the summer].

"People all of a sudden think we have 25 players available, but we mainly have 20 players then we have four injuries.

"I only have one right full-back, Conor Bradley, as an example, and every time I had to play him twice in three days or three times in seven days [last season], it led to him... that I had to take him off with a hamstring injury or something else.

"Are you willing to take that risk with such a big week coming up? Last time I played a player that wasn't fully prepared - we thought he was prepared but it was the first time - Alexander Isak, he got injured.”

"Last time we played Southampton Leoni was injured and it was a red card for Hugo Ekitike. Those are the things we can't use with a big week coming up," he added.

"But there's always a choice. What if I had played Virgil [van Dijk] and Ibou [Konate], for example, if one of them got injured people would have said, 'what a stupid choice'.

"And also with them [the first-team players] it was very difficult for us, for our starters to beat Palace because it's not the first time we lose against them."

With an important week coming up, Slot can be forgiven for making changes if his first-team stars return to winning ways quickly. It is with little doubt that the Dutchman’s selection will only have added to the increased pressure he could soon find himself under.

Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp said: "It was the wrong team. Make no mistake. He picked a team today that made it really difficult for himself. You've not helped the young players because of the players that are around them. You've made 10 changes from Brentford.

"You can't tell me that he's picked that team today and those subs thinking 'that will get me a result against a really good Crystal Palace'. You might hope you can. I didn't believe for one second they could beat them. He's made a mistake today.”