Arne Slot has questioned the kick-off time for Liverpool’s 1-0 win at Crystal Palace just one day after insisting he would be a ‘stupid manager’ if he viewed such matches as being more difficult.
The Reds inched past the Eagles in Saturday’s 12.30pm game courtesy of Diogo Jota who nipped ahead of Trevoh Chalobah to tap home Cody Gakpo’s low cross.
Liverpool then comfortably saw out the rest of the match for a victory which leaves them top and secures nine triumphs in Slot’s ten games in charge – meaning the Dutchman has the best start of any manager’s first ten games in the club’s history.
But it was not all plain sailing, with star men Alexis Mac Allister and Alisson Becker both trudging off the Selhurst Park turf with concerning injuries.
After the match, Slot was asked about the knocks and said: ‘Mac Allister was a bit of a surprise to me because he came in at half-time and he said, “Something doesn’t feel right”, so we didnt take any risks.
Arne Slot has questioned the kick-off time for Liverpool ‘s 1-0 win at Crystal Palace
Alexis Mac Allister did not reappear for the second-half thanks to an injury problem
Alisson went down with a hamstring injury late in the second half and had to be taken off
‘With Alisson it’s clear that he’s going to be out for maybe a few weeks.
‘Maybe this is something the FA should also look at where if you play Wednesday evening and why do we have an early kick off and an away game?
‘Or they have to look at tme and rotate all my players. But maybe it’s also bad luck, I don’t know, but it’s not the way we want it.’
The outburst comes just 24 hours after Slot criticised his predecessor Jurgen Klopp for frequently complaining about fixture lists.
On Friday he said: ‘I don’t think it has so much to do with the 12.30pm kick-offs. For me, it is that every away game is difficult.
‘Because we play so many times then at 12.30pm, people talk about 12.30pm.
‘I think we have to talk about an away game because that is difficult. If 12.30pm was a difficult time to perform, then I’m a really stupid manager because we train every day at 12 o’clock!
‘I don’t see the idea behind it being that difficult performing at that time.’
Diogo Jota scored the only goal of the game when he slotted past Henderson in the ninth minute on his 100th appearance
Liverpool’s victory ensured they would remain in top spot going into the international break
Alisson hobbled off after being substituted as reserve ‘keeper Vitezslav Jaros came on to replace him
Klopp famously had little patience for the quirks of Premier League scheduling and, until today, Slot has positioned himself in firm opposition to the German’s complaints.
The former Reds boss said in May: ‘I was actually waiting for Amnesty International to go to them.
‘I would like to be part of that meeting when someone says “Liverpool 12:30pm” and the whole room is bursting into laughter.’
A first half almost entirely dominated by Liverpool, ironically started with the ball in the back of Alisson’s net inside just 24 seconds.
Eddie Nketiah’s deft finish over the Anfield keeper from Ismaila Sarr pass was outstanding. His run, though, was ever so slightly mistimed with the goal correctly ruled out for offside.
After Jota put the Reds in the lead in the ninth minute, Slot’s side popped the ball about effortlessly to leave Palace chasing shadows.
Gakpo fired over the bar in the 28th minute before Dean Henderson produced a good save to deny Trent Alexander-Arnold’s sweetly struck half-volley just moments later.
Jota then missed a glorious opportunity to double the lead and his tally for the afternoon in the 34th minute, failing to get decent purchase on Ryan Gravenberch’s cutback after the Dutchman – together with Mohamed Salah – had left Palace’s left side in tatters.
Jurgen Klopp famously had little patience for the quirks of Premier League scheduling
Palace’s Ismaila Sarr and Eddie Nketiah react after a missed chance against Liverpool
Eagles boss Oliver Glasner is under pressure as his side’s winless run to the season continued
Oliver Glasner threw on Mateta and Will Hughes on the hour mark in hope of altering the course of proceedings before Jota missed another guild-edged chance in the 62nd minute, horribly mistiming his free header from Alexander-Arnold’s wonderful free-kick.
Ismaila Sarr, Eddie Nketiah and Eberechi Eze all missed good opportunities for Palace, whose hopes of a come back were raised as Alisson slumped in a heap to be replaced by Vitezslav Jaros, who was making his Liverpool debut.
Palace may have felt hard done by, but Liverpool – without setting the world on fire – were largely comfortable here. Alisson and Mac Allister, however, less so.