Arne Slot slammed for 'diabolical' Arsenal comments: 'You can't say that as a football manager!' | OneFootball

Under-pressure Liverpool manager accused of spouting “excuses”

Arne Slot's recent comments about Arsenal have been branded "diabolical".

Arsenal have scored 37 goals from set-pieces since the start of the 2023-24 season, which is 11 more than any other side in Europe's big five leagues.

In contrast, Liverpool are shipping goals at set-pieces this season, which has resulted in part to their Premier League title defence collapsing at an alarming rate.

He can’t say that as an opposition manager!

Anders Limpar on Arne Slot comments

Slot was recently asked about his side conceding set-piece goals, to which he responded: "If you’d tell me that we've conceded 40 per cent of our goals from set pieces, and the number one in the league has scored 60% of their goals from set-pieces, and we're still one point behind that team, I would probably think, 'It's not even that bad!'"

It was not the first time that Slot had been dismissive of Arsenal's set-piece prowess. Last season the Liverpool manager said "nine times out of 10, [Arsenal] do the same" routine.

That one-point gap Slot referenced less than two weeks ago has now grown to seven points, and former Arsenal man Anders Limpars believes the Liverpool manager was wrong to comment about the number of goals Arsenal are scoring from set-pieces.

“It’s just excuses, he can’t say that as an opposition manager," Limpars told Hajper.

"It doesn’t really matter how you win games so long as you win games. Over the long run, you have to play all the best teams. To be criticised for scoring from set pieces or not, it’s a diabolical thing to talk about in my opinion.

I hate players who have excuses. I don’t like managers having excuses

Anders Limpar on Arne Slot comments

"Shall we look back at the last four years and look at what City have done or not have done, or what Liverpool have done or not have done? At the end of the day, they’ve all had scrappy wins for sure here and there.

"Arne Slot has to cope with losing the last four league games on the trot. It’s not normal for them. Now suddenly they are having these setbacks and you have to cope with that as a manager, especially at a top club in the Premier League. It’s normal business.

"I hate players who have excuses. I don’t like managers having excuses."