Liverpool news: ‘Bitter’ Arne Slot slammed after Man Utd loss as Jurgen Klopp drops return hint

All the latest news from Anfield as the fallout from Liverpool’s home defeat to arch rivals Manchester United rumbles on

Liverpool’s season hit a new low on Sunday after they were beaten by Manchester United at Anfield. Slot’s side looked to have secured a point, at the very least, thanks to Cody Gakpo’s second half equaliser which came in response to Bryan Mbeumo’s opener just over a minute into the clash.

However, Liverpool were left to rue more sloppy defending as Harry Maguire headed United in front with mere minutes to go. The 2-1 defeat comes off the back of Chelsea’s 2-1 win over the Reds before the international break.

That setback was preceded by 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace a week earlier, while their miserable run also saw Slot’s team lose away to Galatasaray in the Champions League. Liverpool have now lost four games in a row for the first time since 2015.

United’s win at Anfield also marked the Red Devils’ first victory at Anfield since 2016. With the fallout from the United game continuing, Mirror Football takes a look at all the latest news coming out of Anfield as an Anfield idol questions Alexander Isak, Klopp teases a Liverpool return and an ex-Premier League star lays into Slot.

Klopp teases Anfield return

Klopp has sent shockwaves through the football world by claiming he would be open to a return to Liverpool. Speaking on Stephen Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO podcast, he acknowledged a comeback to Liverpool remains feasible, after leaving the Reds following nine years in the job back in January 2024.

READ MORE: Arne Slot warned over £241m Liverpool problem as stars struggle in Man Utd lossREAD MORE: Man Utd star admits Ruben Amorim told side to exploit two Liverpool players

“I said I will never coach a team in England again, that means if it’s Liverpool, theoretically it’s possible,” Klopp told Bartlett.

“I don’t know exactly, I love what I do right now. I don’t miss coaching, I do coach now but just different. I don’t miss standing in the rain, two-and-a-half [to] three hours, I don’t miss going to press conferences three times a week, having 12 interviews a week, I don’t miss that, I don’t.

“I don’t miss being in the dressing room, I coached something like 1,080 games so I was in a dressing room often. I don’t want to die in a dressing room because it’s nice, it smells. There might be something, I’m 58, I could make the decision in a few years… I don’t know.”

Nevertheless, he made it clear that he’s relishing his current position with the Red Bull group as Head of Soccer, saying: “Do I have to make the decision today that I will not coach again but thank god I don’t have to, I can just see what the future brings.

“Now I’m in a project I really love, I like doing what I’m doing right now. In my mind, only if I’m focused 100 percent, I can do it really good.”

Slot slammed by former Premier League striker

Slot has been slammed by ex-Aston Villa star Gabby Agbonlahor for his comments on United’s playing style in Sunday’s defeat. The Dutchman claimed it was hard to play against Ruben Amorim’s side due to their implementation of a low-block and tactic of utilising the long ball.

After the game, Slot said: “If you play United, with so many quality players they have – [and] brought in a few new ones this summer – and if they come to us in a low block, playing so many long balls, then the last thing you would want is going 1-0 down.”

The comments did not go down well with the Villa icon, who even branded Slot as “bitter”. He said: “I think they [United] played some lovely stuff into [Bryan] Mbeumo, [Matheus] Cunha, and [Mason] Mount.

“[Bruno] Fernandes was getting on the ball as well. And what do you expect any of them to do when they go into Anfield? They’re not going to be open and try and play risky balls. So very odd from Slot. He has got that in him Arne Slot. He has got a bit of bitterness when he loses.

“(Slot criticism) It’s deserved, I mean four losses in a row. (Luis) Diaz is in the form of his life at Bayern Munich, by the way, he was unbelievable against Dortmund. Then you look at that decision to let him go, and then you spend £115 million on Wirtz, it’s not working. That’s got to be questioned. And he has to be judged. The money he spent, and it’s not working 100%.”

Isak “confused” says Liverpool icon

Liverpool legend Phil Thompson has questioned Isak’s finishing in the defeat to United and claimed the forward looked “confused” during the encounter. The striker joined the Reds from Newcastle United for a British record fee of £125 million this summer.

Isak has been building back up to fitness having missed the entirety of pre-season. The Swede has one goal to his name so far, scoring in a Carabao Cup win over Southampton, but he was guilty of spurning two chances against the Red Devils on Sunday.

Speaking on the Liverpool FC Podcast about Isak’s composure in front of goal, former Reds captain Thompson said: “It has to go across the keeper. It has gone literally straight down his throat. It’s helped him but the Gakpo one is terrific and I quite agree that he took it early to confuse the keeper, who is nowhere near it. That was our luck and it went Manchester United’s way.”

The ex-Liverpool assistant manager added: “Isak had one in the second half when he went forward and he looked as though his mind was just all muddled of which way to pass.

“He waited that long and someone took it off his toes. He could have played Mo [Salah] in, he could have played it to two players the other side and he was confused with it. That was maybe [because] his mind was all confused by the way the game was going.”

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