Liverpool manager Arne Slot has revealed that Chelsea wingers Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho caused serious problems for his side during their Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
The Dutch coach made the admission while explaining his tactical decision to substitute defender Milos Kerkez in the 55th minute of the match, which ended in a 2–1 victory for Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea.
Slot noted that both wingers were highly effective in stretching Liverpool’s defence, forcing him to make a crucial adjustment in the second half.
“Milos was more and more tired – he played 90 minutes in two games and now for the third game in a week, which he’s not used to when he played at Bournemouth,” Slot told Sky Sports.
“You could feel and see it got more and more difficult to keep going, and their wingers [Neto and Garnacho] are a threat, so we decided to make a change over there.”
Kerkez, who joined Liverpool during the summer transfer window from Bournemouth, struggled to contain the pace and skill of Neto throughout the match. His replacement, Andy Robertson, was introduced to help stabilize the back line, but Chelsea’s relentless attack eventually paid off.
A late strike from Estevao sealed the win for Chelsea, despite Liverpool’s efforts to mount a comeback.
The result marks Liverpool’s first league defeat under Arne Slot, who is still adapting his tactical style to the Premier League pace and intensity.
