Morton on Slot; how he really felt about his Liverpool game time | OneFootball

Tyler Morton has spoken candidly about his final season at Liverpool, suggesting that a lack of trust rather than ability limited his opportunities under Arne Slot.

The 23-year-old, who joined Liverpool at the age of seven and progressed through the Academy before making his senior debut in September 2021 against Norwich City, completed a permanent move to Olympique Lyonnais last summer after featuring just five times in 2024-25 as we lifted the Premier League title.

Speaking via ESPN UK on X, Morton did not criticise Arne Slot personally, but he was clear about how he felt regarding his role.

“With Arne Slot, I didn’t play as much as I wanted, even though I was ready. It was his decision, and I took it calmly, but I had to find another path.

I think he thought I was a good player, but I don’t feel the trust was there as much.

In my opinion, the limited opportunities were down to trust and not ability.

When I got my opportunity in the cup, I felt like I played well.

That’s all I could say. I stuck at it, stayed focused, got through to the end of the season and played in the under-21 Euros, which was amazing.

I had a few conversations with him (Slot) during the season. A lot of footballers can be bitter about not playing and let their egos get in the way, but I’m not that type of lad.

I personally disagreed with the limited amount of game time I got last season, but that was out of my control. I did everything I could.”

Morton suggests trust, not talent, limited his Liverpool minutes

(Photo by Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

Tyler Morton’s comments are measured rather than emotional, yet they inevitably invite debate around how Arne Slot managed his squad during a title-winning campaign.

The Wallasey-born midfielder had already hinted at the reasoning behind his exit when reflecting on his first weeks in Ligue 1, explaining that young players often need to go abroad to secure consistent football and development opportunities.

Liverpool also protected their long-term interests when sanctioning the transfer, inserting a 20% sell-on clause in the £15m deal agreed with Lyon, ensuring that if Morton thrives further, we benefit financially.

That structure underlines that the club did not view him as surplus in terms of talent, but perhaps as a player who required a pathway that was not immediately available at Anfield.

Morton’s Ligue 1 form suggests Liverpool let go of a ready player

(Photo by Pauline Figuet/Getty Images)

The early statistical returns from France suggest Morton was not exaggerating when he said he was ready.

As per Sofascore, Morton has started all 18 Ligue 1 matches for Lyon this season, averaging 88 minutes per game and accumulating 1,587 minutes in total.

He has contributed two goals from an expected goals figure of 1.26, registered two assists with an xA of 2.85, and maintained an 88% pass completion rate while averaging 66.6 touches per game.

Defensively, he is contributing 1.8 tackles per match, 4.4 recoveries, and winning 53% of his duels, numbers that indicate maturity and consistency rather than adaptation struggles.

Morton, who wears the No.23 shirt at Lyon, recently earned a 7.5 Sofascore rating in a 1-0 win over Nantes, further reinforcing that he has settled quickly into one of Europe’s major leagues.

For Liverpool supporters, the conversation is less about resentment and more about reflection.

Morton did not accuse, attack, or burn bridges but he did make one thing clear.

In his view, he was ready and sometimes in football, trust matters just as much as talent.

You can watch Arne Slot’s pre-Sunderland press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:

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