“4 Costly Errors That Sealed Liverpool’s Carabao Cup Heartbreak Under Arne Slot”

“4 Major Blunders Arne Slot Made in Liverpool’s Carabao Cup Defeat to Newcastle”

In his bid to secure the first trophy of his Liverpool reign, Arne Slot fell well short of his managerial best as Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United stormed to a 2-1 victory, finally ending their 70-year wait for silverware. So, where did it all go wrong for the Reds?

On the surface, the answer seems obvious — Liverpool never got going while Newcastle looked sharp and composed. But dig a little deeper, and the story is far more complex.

In an unexpected twist, Dan Burn opened the scoring with a header (more on that shortly!), before the inevitable happened — Liverpool-linked Alexander Isak smashed home a half-volley to double Newcastle’s lead, putting them within touching distance of a historic triumph.

Federico Chiesa’s late strike offered little more than a consolation for Slot and his staff, leaving the former Feyenoord boss with plenty to ponder as the 2024/25 season rolls on. Here are four of the Dutchman’s biggest blunders on that tough night in the capital.

Tasking Mac Allister with Marking Burn — and Paying the Price
Newcastle’s opening goal came from an unlikely source as Dan Burn rose highest to nod home — but questions have to be asked about Slot’s decision to assign the much shorter Alexis Mac Allister to mark the towering defender. It was a mismatch Newcastle ruthlessly exploited.

Asking Mac Allister to Mark Burn — a Tactical Head-Scratcher

The video really says it all, doesn’t it? Watching Dan Burn — one of the tallest players in the Premier League — being marked by Alexis Mac Allister, who lacks aerial presence, was nothing short of baffling. It was a clear mismatch that caused Liverpool all sorts of problems throughout the game.

Even more puzzling was Slot’s refusal to adjust. Despite Burn easily shrugging off Mac Allister to head home Newcastle’s opener, Liverpool stuck with the same setup for the rest of the match. Mac Allister continued to mark Burn on set-pieces, and although Newcastle didn’t score again from such situations, the danger remained ever-present.

To justify the decision, Slot explained:
“I can explain. We play zonal. We always have five players zonally close to our goal, if the ball falls there, there is always one of the stronger five players to attack that ball. We have three players that man mark, Macca is one of them.”

Still, given how Newcastle exploited this weakness, it’s fair to say Slot’s commitment to the system backfired — at least on this occasion.

Starting Jota Despite His Slump in Form

Another questionable decision was handing Diogo Jota a start, despite his ongoing struggles in front of goal. The Portuguese forward hasn’t found the net since mid-January — and unfortunately, that lack of sharpness was on full display.

Far from being the clinical threat Liverpool needed, Jota looked off the pace, hesitant in key moments, and unable to offer the cutting edge to trouble Newcastle’s backline. In a game where chances were always going to be at a premium, Slot’s decision to persist with Jota over potentially sharper alternatives raises real questions.

Diogo Jota has fallen out of favor with the Anfield faithful for quite some time now. The 28-year-old Portuguese forward is clearly lacking confidence and looks like a shadow of the player he once was — a relentless striker known for creating chances, scoring goals, and causing havoc in the box. Given his poor form, Slot’s choice to start him felt like a reckless gamble.

So far this season, the ex-Wolves forward — still considered among the Premier League’s top finishers — has managed eight goals in 29 appearances, but hasn’t found the net since mid-January. Banking on a striker so clearly out of form for a game of such importance was a clear error in judgment from Slot.

Delaying Reinforcements — A Missed Opportunity

Another costly decision was Slot’s hesitation to make substitutions. Both Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott were left waiting until the 74th minute to enter the fray — far too late, considering Liverpool’s struggles on the pitch. By the time they were introduced, Newcastle were well in control, and although Chiesa managed a consolation goal, it wasn’t enough to change the outcome. In a game of this magnitude, decisive and timely changes are essential — and Slot missed his window.

Slot’s reluctance to act sooner became even more questionable following Jota’s sluggish 57-minute showing. It begs the question — why did it take so long to replace him? It was obvious from early on that neither Jota nor Luis Diaz were having any success against Newcastle’s well-organized backline — a fact further underlined by Federico Chiesa’s immediate impact when he came off the bench.

The same argument applies to Harvey Elliott, who reportedly had to be helped off the pitch due to being in ‘a lot of pain.’ With Liverpool desperately needing a spark to mount a comeback, there was a clear lack of attacking threat. Freshening things up earlier could have injected much-needed momentum, but both Chiesa — whose composed finish briefly offered a glimmer of hope — and Elliott were introduced far too late, with only 16 minutes of regular time left.

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Starting Kelleher Over Alisson — A Bold Call That Raised Eyebrows

One of Slot’s boldest — and perhaps most puzzling — choices was to start Caoimhin Kelleher in goal while leaving Alisson on the bench, despite the Brazilian reportedly being available for selection in the capital.

In fairness, Caoimhin Kelleher — Liverpool’s and Ireland’s shot-stopper — is a fantastic goalkeeper and arguably one of the best backup keepers in world football. But choosing to leave out Alisson Becker, widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers in Premier League history, for a cup final where Slot had his first real chance at silverware? That was, to say the least, a strange call.

While some fans might argue that Kelleher should have done better to prevent Burn’s header, it would be harsh to pin either of Newcastle’s goals solely on him. It’s common practice for managers to stick with their second-choice keeper throughout a cup run — but that logic doesn’t quite hold here, especially considering Alisson, who was fully fit and available, had already played in the semi-finals.

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