Sports
Arne Slot Has Unfairly Treated 5 Other Liverpool Stars
“I could not believe I was sitting on the bench for 90 minutes,” Mohamed Salah said after not coming off the bench for Liverpool’s 3-3 draw with Leeds United on Saturday 6 December. “That’s the third time. It’s the first time in my career I think. I am very disappointed, I have done so much for this club over years, especially last season, It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus.” The premise of his argument is that he’s been treated unfairly by Arne Slot.
A vital player for the Reds ever since making the Italy-to-England switch, having signed from AS Roma, in the summer of 2017, Salah is a name etched into Anfield folklore – but his departure is seemingly inevitable and his public assessment of his situation may just speed up that process.
Signing the Egyptian was a risk, of course, given that he failed to establish himself as a regular at Chelsea in the years prior – but Jurgen Klopp, after a bit of convincing that he’d prove to be a better addition than Julian Brandt, turned him into a goal-getting machine.
Salah also fired on all cylinders in Slot’s maiden campaign, which resulted in the club’s second-ever Premier League title with four matches to spare… but he’s no longer one of Slot’s indispensables. Forgetting what has happened to the record-breaking wide man for a second, there are five other Liverpool players who have been treated unfairly by the Liverpool boss. From players being sold too prematurely to Slot purely not giving others their well-deserved flowers, let’s take a closer look at the quintet of curious cases.
Andy Robertson
It was all change in Anfield’s full-back department in the summer: Trent Alexander-Arnold packed his bags and joined Real Madrid, while Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong were signed from Bournemouth and Bayer Leverkusen, respectively. The seasoned Andy Robertson – who is widely regarded as one of the best left-backs in the history of the Premier League – stayed put, but minutes have been hard to come by.
Kerkez’s arrival inevitably caused confusion over Robertson’s spot in the starting line-up but given the Hungarian has not played particularly well at left-back this term, why shouldn’t the former Hull City man be trusted more? Experienced, talented and a natural-born leader, the 31-year-old has put together a compelling case to be ahead of Kerkez in the pecking order right now. At the time of writing, he’s started just 20% of Liverpool’s 2025/26 Premier League matches.
Jarell Quansah
Jarell Quansah was sold to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer. A young lad with heaps of potential, it begs the question of why the 22-year-old didn’t get more of a chance at the heart of defence. Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk have struggled to find any semblance of telepathy during the club’s downfall following their initial five-match winning streak and Quansah, a once-capped England international, could’ve been used sporadically to ease the pressure. The fact that he has caught the attention of Thomas Tuchel proves that he is talented enough to push for a starting spot on the red half of Merseyside.
Sell-On Clause and Buyback Decision – What Liverpool Agreed When They Sold Jarell Quansah
Liverpool made a buyback decision when they sold Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen
Slot, however, was clearly not a fan of the central defender. Back in August, during Slot’s first Premier League match in charge of the Reds against Ipswich Town, Quansah was hooked at half-time and Slot later claimed that his failure to win duels against the Tractor Boys’ forwards was the reason why. Following his half-time humiliation, the academy graduate struggled to get a good run of matches under his belt, with him typically playing in dead rubber fixtures.
Wataru Endo
Alongside Chiesa, it’s fair to say that Wataru Endo is an unsung hero of Liverpool’s. Something of a forgotten figure once Klopp left, the gumshield-wearing midfielder is unfortunate not to be getting more minutes in his legs. Signed from VfB Stuttgart in the summer of 2023, Endo was trusted to boss the engine room in Klopp’s final campaign at the helm, but his fortunes were flipped on their head following the arrival of Slot.
The Japanese hero has played just 242 minutes of football across all competitions since Liverpool’s curtain-raiser in August – and it’s not unfair to say that Slot’s men could benefit from having the energetic 32-year-old in the middle. Liverpool are (uncharacteristically) conceding goals at an alarming rate and with no real defensive midfielder in the squad, one would expect him to be playing more than he actually is.
Federico Chiesa
What Liverpool are lacking at the moment are players willing to take games by the scruff of the neck. Federico Chiesa, albeit not a world-beater, is a man who can make stuff happen – but that is not enough for Slot and company to trust him more often. A livewire when he plays, the Italian may have endeared himself to the Anfield faithful with ease, but impressing Slot will surely be at the top of his priority list.
In truth, judging by his 143 minutes in the Premier League, Genoa-born Chiesa has been one of Liverpool’s better players in what has been a rather dismal season, but Slot’s comments after the winger’s last-ditch block against Sunderland painted the picture as clearly as possible. “Yeah, I think that’s what you want a team – or a player – to do in a situation like that,” Slot said.
“To just give everything, even in a situation where you feel you cannot do a lot anymore. Just keep running and that’s what he [Federico Chiesa] did and that’s why he cleared the ball off the line,” the boss finished. Fans believed Chiesa, a player who wears his heart on his sleeve irrespective of his lack of game time, deserves much better treatment.
Harvey Elliott
Born and raised in London, Harvey Elliott – in his pursuit of becoming a star in the Premier League – left the capital to join Liverpool in the summer of 2019. From playing in the club’s academy to winning two top flight titles, it was a dream come true for the 22-year-old to finally earn his Anfield stripes… but it’s somewhat gone downhill since.
The perfect utility player under Klopp’s tenure, Slot couldn’t find much space for him in 2024/25, and he played one minute for Liverpool before his deadline day transfer to Aston Villa on loan in September.
Last season, he picked up just 822 minutes of action – 360 of those coming in the league – as Slot preferred the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai to run the middle of the park. Curtis Jones, too, was ahead of him in the manager’s plans, but Elliott wanted to remain and fight for his place. That was not to be the case in Slot’s eyes, and a temporary move to Villa Park came to fruition and the Dutch tactician recently admitted that he’s barely been in contact with the Englishman.
Canada boss Jesse Marsch has firmly ruled out the possibility of becoming manager of the United States national team in the future.
The former Leeds United boss has guided Canada to the last 16 of the World Cup for the first time in their history. He oversaw a 1-0 win over South Africa to book his side a meeting with Morocco on Saturday (July 4th).
Marsch took over the Canucks back in May 2024 and has fully immersed himself in the role. So much so that some of his man-management tactics, including an impassioned post-match speech to his players, have irked American fans.
“Never” – Jesse Marsch on USA job
The USA nearly appointed Marsch back in April 2023, and he turned down a lucrative contract offer from Leicester City believing he had the job in the bag. He waited for another opportunity to enter international management, and that came with Canada almost a year later.
Marsch has since earned plaudits for transforming Canadian football, and he has become the first coach to lead them to two World Cup victories. There are some who feel the Wisconsin-born tactician should be a contender for the USMNT managerial role further down the line.
Asked by TIME whether he’d ever consider taking charge of his country of birth, he responded:
“I never will coach the U.S. national team. Ever. And that’s no problem. There was the possibility of me at one point, but I’m done with it. I don’t even care anymore. I don’t wish ill will against the U.S. I want the U.S. to do well. I like Pochettino, and I like a bunch of the players. But people need to stop making a deal out of me in the U.S.”
Marsch signed a new four-year contract extension in May, keeping him tied to the Canada national team until June 2030. The USMNT, meanwhile, landed Mauricio Pochettino as their manager in September 2024, and the former Tottenham Hotspur boss has been equally impressive while leading the Stars and Stripes.
The Argentine has taken the co-hosts to the Round of 16, where they face Belgium next Tuesday (July 7th). SportsMole reports that he has been offered a new four-year deal which would run until the same date Marsch’s new deal with the Canadians expires.
Why USA turned Jesse Marsch down
Marsch admitted he was “devastated and angry” after the USMNT made a U-turn over appointing him as Gregg Berhalter’s successor three years ago. The Americans turned back to Berhalter who lasted just one year into a second reign before being sacked after his nation crashed out of Copa America in the group stages.
The USA conducted an independent investigation into Berhalter’s off-field behaviour at the time. They lined Marsch up as his replacement but the American federation trusted in the bond built between players and Berhalter.
Marsch explained to GIVEMESPORT at the time:
“All I’d say is that it was made very clear to me by U.S. Soccer that I was going to be the [USMNT] coach, and then it was made very clear to me that I was not. At the time, I was devastated and angry, but now I am thankful and really happy to be where I’m at.”
|
Jesse Marsch – Canada |
||||||||
|
From |
To |
Matches |
Won |
Drawn |
Lost |
Win % |
Major Achievements |
|
|
May 13, 2024 |
Present |
22 |
8 |
6 |
8 |
36.36% |
• 4th Place at 2024 Copa América • First-ever World Cup knockout stage win (2026) |
|
Marsch is becoming a hero in Canada amid a stellar World Cup campaign, and a win over Morocco would be the stuff of dreams for the Great White North. They head into that game as underdogs, up against Africa’s strongest nation, who made the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
World Cup: Jesse Marsch’s Answer When Asked to Give USA Advice Ahead of Bosnia Game
He’d previously said he wasn’t going to comment on anything to do with his home nation.
Tottenham Hotspur chiefs are now confident that they can sign Bournemouth striker Eli Junior Kroupi this summer.
Tottenham have already agreed six new signings this summer, with the latest additions of Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali setting the club back a huge £185m outlay.
Spurs’ ambition is showing no signs of slowing down yet, and while their defensive and midfield options are looking stronger ahead of next season, we could see new faces arrive to boost the attack too.
The north Londoners remain in talks with Manchester City over a deal for left-winger Savinho, following their failed attempt to bring him to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 12 months ago.
However, Tottenham are also considering other options for that flank too, with links to a second raid on West Ham United for Crysencio Summerville, while they have been offered the chance to sign Rafael Leao from AC Milan by Jorge Mendes during the Fernandes transfer talks.
Spurs are also considering signing a new striker with doubts over the future of Richarlison, who has long been linked with a move away from the north London outfit.
Tottenham are seemingly ready to make their move to try and bring Junior Kroupi to the capital from the south coast.
Tottenham Believe They Can Sign Junior Kroupi
Tottenham are one of many top Premier League clubs linked with a move for Junior Kroupi this summer, following an outstanding and record-breaking debut campaign in the English top flight for the Frenchman.
The 20-year-old scored 13 goals in 33 Premier League games for the Cherries as they qualified for the Europa League, and the club are determined to keep hold of him for next season for their first ever European campaign.
However, according to a top Tottenham source on X, Spurs officials are confident that they can complete a deal for the youngster this summer.
The same source claims that Spurs have already scheduled talks with the Frenchman’s representatives soon, although Bournemouth would want at least £90m to sell him in this window.
Kroupi Junior is also said to be open to a move to Spurs, following previous talks between the parties in March.
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Tottenham Also Want ‘One of the Best Players in the World’
Tottenham’s level of ambition this summer is showing no signs of slowing down, and now they are also targeting a move for Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, believing he can cover both the left wing and centre-forward positions.
The England international has been described as ‘one of the best players in the world’ on his day by Three Lions teammate Anthony Gordon, and it is hard to disagree when we see what he has done over the years for the Red Devils and then on loan at Barcelona last season.
The 30-year-old is said to prefer a permanent move abroad following his spell with Barca, although it appears as though Spurs are positioning themselves right at the front of the queue should he end up remaining in England.
There was significant controversy as Portugal just about beat Croatia to make it into the next round of the 2026 World Cup. The two sides appeared to be destined for extra time before VAR intervened to rule out Josko Gvardiol’s late strike, sparking a strong reaction in the media.
Ivan Perisic opened the scoring before Cristiano Ronaldo levelled things from the penalty spot with 22 minutes remaining. Goncalo Ramos then gave Portugal the lead in stoppage time, but there was still time for Croatia to put the ball in the back of the net once more.
This time, however, the goal was chalked off. VAR deemed that Igor Matanovic had the slightest of touches on the cross that found Mario Pasalic, who was standing in an offside position before he touched the ball for Gvardiol to score.
An official FIFA explanation revealed that, thanks to ‘data provided by Connected Ball Technology’, it was proven that ‘contact was made’ by Croatia’s Matanovic in the build-up to the goal. Despite this, footage from the game looked inconclusive, leaving many baffled by the ruling.
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic Makes Ronaldo FIFA Claim After Croatia Controversy
Among those angered by the VAR call to rule out Croatia’s late goal, former player Zlatan Ibrahimovic made his feelings on the matter clear. As quoted by Italian outlet Gazzetta, the Fox Sports
Pundit offered up a theory that FIFA were intent on having Ronaldo and Portugal meet Spain in the next round:
“It was a fantastic match ruined in the end by VAR. I see nothing irregular about the 2-2 goal; VAR disallowed it, but for me, it was a robbery. Either the sensor in the ball wasn’t working or something went wrong, because Renato Veiga touched the ball, which means there was no offside. Look at the angle: Croatia’s number 20 doesn’t touch the ball, nor does he change its trajectory in the slightest. It’s Portugal’s number 13 [Veiga] who touches it! How can it be offside?
“An opponent touches it, and suddenly the Croatian goalscorer is offside? Absurd! The Croatians, who had fought with all their heart, were denied a dream moment at this World Cup. To disallow a goal in the 90th minute, the decision must be crystal clear. Here, it wasn’t at all. This wasn’t refereeing. It was an outright theft. For me, it’s clear they [FIFA] wanted Portugal and Ronaldo to reach the Round of 16 to face Spain.”
Ivana Knoll Reacts to Croatia Defeat and Ibrahimovic Theory
Adding to those unhappy with the final outcome, Croatia fan Ivana Knoll also expressed her anger to her 3 million followers on Instagram. The model, who went viral at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups – as well as at the Formula One earlier in 2026 – has turned heads this summer, now at her fourth FIFA tournament.
But now having attended the match, on her Instagram stories she first called out the referee, who ‘did such a sh** job,’ before then sharing a link to the Gazzetta story from Ibrahimovic, agreeing with his comments as she wrote: ‘exactly’
She then spoke to the camera in another post, saying ‘it was a complete robbery’ and finally appeared to take aim at Ronaldo and co, saying ‘Karma will hit you’.
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