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Pundit Steve Nicol has criticized Liverpool boss Arne Slot for blaming Jeremie Frimpong for their defeat against Crystal Palace. Instead, he said that the blame should go toward Milos Kerkez.
The Reds faced Palace at Selhurst Park in the Premier League on Saturday, September 27. It was a tight game and went into stoppage time at 1-1. However, the hosts received a throw-in late on and put in a long throw. The ball reached Eddie Nketiah, who finished neatly to secure a 2-1 win for the Eagles.
After the game, Arne Slot appeared to criticize Frimpong, 24, for jumping out and leaving Nketiah unmarked. However, former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol hit out at Slot on ESPN FC and said:
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“I don’t like what Arne Slot is talking about. I heard it and I was trying to figure out what he was talking about. I’m going to assume it’s Frimpong [who is being blamed for Crystal Palace’s winning goal], that can be the only answer.
“The play before the throw in [which led to Palace’s winner], Kerkez clears the ball with his right foot and sticks it on the halfway line. That’s where the problem is. The problem isn’t Frimpong trying to go forward. When Frimpong was brought on, I guarantee that he was told to get forward every single time you can. If Slot is pointing a finger, he should point it at Kerkez.”
It was Kerkez's clearance from his strong left foot that led to a throw-in for Crystal Palace, from which they eventually scored.
What did Liverpool boss Arne Slot say about Jeremie Frimpong after Crystal Palace defeat?
After the loss against Crystal Palace, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot slammed his side for their poor defending. He didn't name Jeremie Frimpong, but hinting towards his error, he said (via Mirror):
“We can only blame ourselves for defending the way we did. One of our players ran out because he wanted to play a counter-attack, which was of no use because time was up, so it was only about defending.
“One player was too offensively minded in that moment, which led to them scoring the winner and us losing the game.”
Frimpong came on in the 74th minute to replace Ibrahima Konate, but couldn't help Liverpool secure the win.
The Reds, meanwhile, signed Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported fee of £29.5 million in the summer. He's scored one goal in six appearances across competitions for them, starting three games.
