Liverpool are top of the Premier League after seven games but ex-Reds star Jason McAteer has one concern about Arne Slot’s side’s title credentials
Former Reds ace Jason McAteer has emphasised that Arne Slot must utilise his team to the fullest for Liverpool to compete for the top spot. The Dutchman has had a positive start to life at Anfield, with the Premier League giants sitting pretty at the summit after seven fixtures.
With star players like Virgil van Dijk, Luis Diaz, and Mohamed Salah turning in standout performances this term, Liverpool seem well-poised to take on current champions Manchester City and fellow hopefuls Arsenal in the quest for league glory.
Yet, McAteer has flagged Slot’s hesitancy in switching up his first-choice lineup in the league as a potential hurdle in their title aspirations.
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The ex-Red, who donned the Liverpool colours from 1995 through 1999, discussed these points with Gambling Zone, acknowledging Slot’s boldness in decision-making.
But despite the manager’s bravery, McAteer insisted that key figures must be rested and squad players brought on to maintain peak condition for the decisive moments of the campaign.
“He’s not afraid of making big calls,” the former Republic of Ireland international said. “He’s in a catch-22 because you’re a new manager, you come into a football club with the philosophy, tactics. The hardest thing to do is keep changing your team.
“You’ve got to have consistency in your selection to bed in what you’re trying to do. And you’ve got to be careful with that. He’s picking the same team week in, week out, although he made changes at the weekend.
“But you don’t want to lose the players to injury. You’ve got to give your squad players game time to keep them fresh and match ready.”
Despite Slot’s tendency to stick with his starting XI, his team have generally stayed healthy. The exception is Harvey Elliott, who has been out with a foot fracture since last month.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Alisson Becker has also been sidelined after picking up a hamstring injury during the Reds’ narrow 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace. The Brazilian is not expected back until after the upcoming international break in November.
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The 53-year-old weighed in on Slot’s strategy, stressing the importance of finding a balance between sticking with a core team and maintaining player fitness.
He cautioned that failing to do so could see Liverpool drop out of contention: “Player management is where a manager really earns his money because we all know that the last period of the season is so demanding physically.
“You need you fresh legs in the run-in and that comes back to resting and rotating players. Slot’s got to find that balance. If he finds it, then Liverpool will be genuine contenders for the title. If he doesn’t, they’ll fall away.”
