Arne Slot decision massively backfires as Liverpool star punished | Football | Sport

There was no urgency in wide areas, but those who have been regular watchers of Liverpool will hardly be surprised.

Szoboszlai, for all his merits, is simply not a winger and his many stellar performances this season have largely been from midfield.

Even in Mohamed Salah’s Africa Cup of Nations absence, Federico Chiesa has largely been overlooked.

Rio Ngumoha, who came on for just a few minutes at the end of the barren draw against Leeds on Thursday, was the brightest player on the pitch.

Rewarded with a start against Fulham? No, Slot once again left him out in favour of two midfielders out wide instead. He didn’t even get off the bench.

Jeremie Frimpong made way for Ngumoha a few days ago, having proved a livewire in his few appearances for the club since joining from Bayer Leverkusen.

Again on the bench at Craven Cottage.

He came on and made an immediate impact, crossing for Gakpo to score what he thought was the winner before Reed’s stunning effort in the dying embers of the match.

Leaving Chiesa, Ngumoha and Frimpong all out against this vibrant Fulham team, full of confidence, can only be described as asking for trouble.

Szoboszlai is an incredible player, probably the Reds’ best this season, and he would benefit from having someone like Harry Wilson outside of him.

And once the Welshman put Fulham ahead, they were more than happy to watch Liverpool’s five-man congested midfield play almost entirely in front of their defence.

But Slot can have no one to blame but himself for sending out a team that lacked urgency and the tools to properly harm their opponents.

Wirtz got an equaliser that many inside the ground were not expecting to stand, but he was deemed offside after Conor Bradley’s mazy run into the box.

Outside of the goals, coming from a moment of quality from both right-backs, Liverpool were far too often devoid of ideas.

It was perplexing when goalscorer Wirtz was the one to make way when Frimpong was finally introduced in the 76th minute. The German had been one of the better performers and moments later, Wilson nearly got his second but hit the bar from range before two late goals cancelled each other out.

Szoboszlai was given another new task, playing on the left wing, an even more unfamiliar role than previous weeks at right-back too.

His versatility is being punished and Liverpool are made worse for it.