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Liverpool squad value vs Man City and Chelsea after Slot’s Crystal Palace ‘insight’ comments
Arne Slot highlighted Chelsea and Manchester City’s squads to try and defend himself after Liverpool lost to Crystal Palace.
The Reds have now lost six of their last seven matches in all competitions, and Slot is coming under fire from fans.
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The Liverpool faithful took particular issue with their manager’s team selection against Crystal Palace, with the starting eleven and bench largely made up of youth players.
Slot defended his selection against the Eagles by saying that playing teenagers in the Carabao Cup is just something the club does.
He went a step further in his defence by suggesting that Manchester City and Chelsea’s squads are better equipped.
Liverpool squad value vs Man City, Chelsea and Arsenal
Speaking post-match, as per BBC Sport, Slot commented on the strength of City and the Blues’ teams.
He said: “I saw [Manchester] City’s line-up and I don’t think they had one starter from the weekend but it felt as if – if you look at their line-up – that they had played with their 11 starters.
“Maybe that gives a little bit of an insight that everybody has always said how big of a squad we have. When we played Chelsea I said they are missing eight but they can still bring Estevao in.”
An interesting point from the Dutchman, but is Liverpool’s squad so much worse than Man City and Chelsea’s?
Well, when it comes to market value, not really.
As per Transfermarkt, Arsenal have the most valuable squad in the Premier League, followed by Manchester City.
But Liverpool are not far behind, with Chelsea taking fourth place.
TeamSquad valueArsenal€1.31bnManchester City€1.21bnLiverpool€1.15bnChelsea€1.14bn
Liverpool injury list vs Chelsea, Man City and Arsenal
Slot also suggested injuries hampered his team selection on the night.
He said: “We are only missing four players at the moment and already we needed to start with four players under the age of 19. After I made two substitutions we were on six.”
Rotating in the cup does make sense, but the Dutchman did make a conscious decision to leave senior players like Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate out of the matchday squad completely.
Man City and Chelsea also made changes, but their managers still chose to feature several key names on the bench, such as Phil Foden and Pedro Neto.
When it comes to Liverpool’s injury list, it is on the higher side in the Premier League, but other top teams have issues as well.
TeamNumber of currently injured playersLiverpool6Chelsea5Arsenal6Manchester City2
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How Liverpool’s players feel about Arne Slot after losing to Crystal Palace
TBR Football understands that Liverpool’s hierarchy and the dressing room remain fully behind Arne Slot despite suffering a sixth loss in seven games.
The Reds suffered a crushing defeat in the Carabao Cup fifth round as they were well beaten at Anfield by Crystal Palace.
The South London club won 3-0 against Liverpool, and this defeat once again exposed the flaws in Slot’s team.
At this stage, Liverpool are not planning to make any dramatic decisions on their manager’s future, but assessments remain ongoing in the background.
Sources: Arne Slot remains fully supported by Liverpool and his players
Despite Liverpool’s latest defeat, the Merseyside club do not doubt that Arne Slot remains the right man to lead them forward, sources have told TBR Football’s chief correspondent Graeme Bailey.
Slot’s selections against Palace were criticised as he selected an inexperienced starting line-up and bench in the defeat.
Speaking about the 47-year-old’s job security, Bailey told TBR Football: “Club sources insist that there are no doubts about Arne Slot’s future at this point, despite the loss to Crystal Palace and their exit from the League Cup.
“They acknowledge the record is mightily poor, losing six out of seven games is bordering on unacceptable, but this is the first time that anyone could call Slot into question.
Along with the club’s hierarchy, the dressing room still have firm faith in their Dutch manager, which means his job remains ‘very safe’ for now.
“As well as the hierarchy being behind him, the squad is too; to this point, nothing is coming from the players’ side either, which is a really strong indication that Slot is very safe to this point,” added Bailey.
“Let’s not be naive to think that the club’s hierarchy are not listening and taking the pulse around the club, but as said, there is nothing to suggest that they are doing anything but backing him.”
However, some Liverpool fans are worried about Slot, and this was made clear following the humiliation in the Carabao Cup.
Arne Slot has one key Liverpool squad complaint
Speaking after the game, Slot bemoaned Liverpool’s squad size and how he had to start six players under the age of 19 against Palace.
Slot told the media: “Before I went out, I saw City’s lineup and I don’t think they had one starter from the weekend, but it felt as if you look at their lineup, they played with 11 starters.
🚨 Arne Slot is complaining about the strength of his squad after spending £450m in the summer! 😳 pic.twitter.com/MLbZM7BQVx
— CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) October 30, 2025
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“So maybe it also gives a little bit of an insight that everybody always said how big a squad we have when we played Chelsea and they’re missing eight, but they can still bring in Estevao in.
Now we’re only missing four players at the moment, and already we need to start with players under the age of 19. After I made two substitutions, we were on six.”
Mikel Arteta could start 16-year-old in third-ro
Arsenal are expected to rotate when they travel to take on Portsmouth in the FA Cup.
It is the first of four away games in four competitions in the space of nine days and Mikel Arteta is set to make use of the strong squad available to him.
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That could mean a first start for Eberechi Eze since the Carabao Cup win over Crystal Palace last month, while Noni Madueke is also in contention to come into the side.
Arsenal hope to have Kai Havertz in the squad but he is not believed to be ready to start, so Gabriel Jesus will likely lead the line unless Arteta opts to keep trying to play Viktor Gyokeres into form.
The Gunners will again be without Riccardo Calafiori, with Arteta confirming that this match will be “too early” for him.
Piero Hincapie is also a major doubt, having gone off against Liverpool with a suspected hamstring injury. He was due to undergo scans on Friday.
“We have to see the extent of what happened to Piero,” Arteta said.
“He could not carry on in the second half, so I don’t know exactly what it is.”
That leaves Myles Lewis-Skelly as the obvious starter at left-back and there could be an opportunity for 16-year-old Marli Salmon if Arteta decides to rest one of Gabriel or William Saliba.
Kepa will start in goal, as he has been doing in the Carabao Cup, and the likes of Christian Norgaard and Mikel Merino are options in midfield.
Ethan Nwaneri will hope for some minutes, even off the bench. He has not featured since the win over Club Brugge a month ago.
Predicted Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Kepa; White, Saliba, Salmon, Lewis-Skelly; Norgaard, Merino, Eze; Madueke, Jesus, Martinelli
Injured: Calafiori, Mosquera, Dowman
Doubts: Hincapie, Havertz
Time and date: 2pm GMT on Sunday, January 11, 2026
How to watch: TNT Sports
Venue: Fratton Park
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Arsenal injury, suspension list and return dates vs. Portsmouth: Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori, Cristhian Mosquera latest
Arsenal will begin their bid to win the FA Cup for the 15th time in their history when they travel to Fratton Park for Sunday’s meeting with Championship strugglers Portsmouth.
The Gunners missed the chance to further extend their six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table in Thursday’s underwhelming goalless draw against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.
While their five-game winning league run came to an end, Mikel Arteta will be pleased with the fact that his side are now unbeaten in seven competitive matches ahead of Sunday’s cup tie and Wednesday’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea.
Here, Sports Mole rounds up all of Arsenal’s latest injury and suspension news ahead of the clash with Portsmouth, who are languishing in 21st spot in the Championship standings.
Piero Hincapie
Status: Major doubt
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: January 11 (vs. Portsmouth)
Hincapie was forced off with what appeared to be a muscle problem in the 57th minute of Thursday’s draw with Liverpool. Arteta now faces a nervous wait to discover the full extent of the defender’s injury.
Kai Havertz
Status: Minor doubt
Type of injury: Match fitness
Possible return date: January 11 (vs. Portsmouth)
Havertz has recovered from the knee injury that kept him out of action for months. However, he has been left out of Arsenal’s last two matchday squads as he continues to build up his fitness. There is a possibility that the forward could make his first appearance since August in Sunday’s FA Cup clash.
Riccardo Calafiori
Status: Out
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: January 14 (vs. Chelsea)
Calafiori has sat out Arsenal’s last four matches with a muscle injury. The defender is making progress in his recovery, but he is not expected to be ready for the upcoming trip to the south coast.
Cristhian Mosquera
Status: Out
Type of injury: Ankle
Possible return date: January 14 (vs. Chelsea)
Like Calafiori, Mosquera is closing in on a return to action after missing over a month of action due to an ankle injury. However, the former Valencia defender will not be available for selection this weekend.
Max Dowman
Status: Out
Type of injury: Ankle
Possible return date: Unknown
Max Dowman is likely to be out until February after sustaining an ankle problem while playing for Arsenal Under-21s in last month’s behind-closed-doors friendly against Manchester United.
ARSENAL’S SUSPENSION LIST
Arsenal have no players suspended for the third-round tie.
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal remain in the driving seat to clinch the Premier League title crown this season – and they could strengthen Mikel Arteta’s squad to bolster their chances.
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Whether or not the right players are out there remains to be seen, but with Arteta enduring several injury blows already this season – particularly in defence – the manager will be keeping a close eye on potential targets.
The Gunners splashed the cash in the summer, bringing in the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera to the Emirates Stadium – so a loan deal might favour the club
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There could also be high-profile exits, both loans and permanent deals, with young midfield talent Ethan Nwaneri linked with an exit. Other youngsters could also make loan moves to get a taste of first-team football.
With that said, football.london takes a closer look at all the moves completed by Arsenal so far this January.
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