Manager Arne Slot made his intentions clear from the start by making ten changes to the side that lost 3-2 to Brentford. The Dutchman handed starts to three teenagers — Rio Ngumoha, Kieran Morrison, and Trey Nyoni — in a heavily rotated lineup.
Crystal Palace, on the other hand, fielded a strong team in hopes of reaching the sixth round. Ismaila Sarr was among those named, and he capitalized on Liverpool’s weakness by netting a first-half brace as Palace fans taunted Slot from the stands.
The 2-0 defeat marked Liverpool’s fifth loss in six matches, and supporters were left frustrated by Slot’s tactical approach. Milos Kerkez, who joined from Bournemouth in the summer, retained his left-back position after scoring against Brentford but endured a miserable night.
Kerkez won only one ground duel and completed a single dribble in 90 minutes, drawing fierce criticism online. Fans slammed his performance, with comments labeling him “one of the worst footballers” and calling his defending on set pieces “a disaster.”
Others blamed Slot’s system for the Hungarian’s struggles, arguing that using him as an inverted full-back instead of an overlapping one has stifled his strengths.
“Why are we playing a back three and still inverting Kerkez? Slot’s lost the plot,” one supporter wrote. Another added, “He can’t unlock Kerkez — it’s sad but true.”
Slot mirrored Oliver Glasner’s setup with a five-man backline, deploying Kerkez as a wing-back. The strategy failed miserably, as Palace’s quality and cohesion exposed Liverpool’s weaknesses.
Kerkez offered little attacking threat and looked uncomfortable in his role, further fueling concerns that Slot’s system isn’t getting the best out of several players — with Kerkez among the worst affected.
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