Tottenham Hotspur v Villareal CF Champions League 16/09/2025. Amazon Prime Hostess Gabby Logan talks to Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov & Michael Carrick ahead of the Champions League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Villareal CF at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, United Kingdom on 16 September 2025. London Tottenham Hotspur Stadium London United Kingdom Editorial use only , Copyright: xChrisxFoxwellx PSI-22827-0004
Problems pile up for Arne Slot as Liverpool show weaknesses despite their English Premier League triumph last season. Slot won the Premier League in his first season as Reds manager, and now those expectations are piling up on themselves.
Not having started the campaign on the best of notes, the Merseysiders lost to Crystal Palace in the FA Community Shield. Further problems followed, as the Reds couldn’t replace Jarell Quansah in the summer transfer market.
Marc Guehi almost landed in Anfield, but a last-minute pull-back meant Liverpool had to close the markets with no more senior defenders.
Slot has been managing with only three senior defenders. Recently, Giovanni Leoni injured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) against Southampton. After that game, the Reds faced back-to-back defeats against Crystal Palace in London and Galatasaray in Turkey.
Wayne Rooney Liverpool push back

Everyone is now jumping on Liverpool to pass their verdicts following two defeats in a row. Jamie Carragher was critical of the club after both the Palace and Galatasaray clashes.
Now, Wayne Rooney has bought fresh points off the back. The Manchester United legend talked about their latest blunder against Cimbom.
“I thought they were really poor. I think the worry for me would be, they’re losing the game, and it looked like even with still quite a bit of time left to go, he just put every attacking player on the pitch and said like ‘go and figure it out’.”
“And then, it could have got a lot worse for Liverpool during the game because with the number of times they gave the ball away at the back and losing it and getting broken on, and Alisson getting injured.”
Quiz: Can you name the team Liverpool sold these players to?
Rooney compared Slot to Ruben Amorim
The former United attacker also emphasised how winning the league has pushed Liverpool’s weaknesses under the rug. He also compared Slot’s tactics to Ruben Amorim, claiming the latter would be “slaughtered” for such performances.
“I think when you win the league like Arne Slot did with Liverpool last season, then sometimes some of the decisions you make get overlooked.”
“I think his decision to play a midfield player at right-back and a right-back and right-wing. For instance, if that was Amorim at Manchester United, he’d get absolutely slaughtered”, Rooney said on BBC’s Wayne Rooney show.
