Liverpool
Slot keeps 4-4-2 on the table as Isak and Ekitiké competition grows
Slot admits 4-4-2 could be used to fit Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitiké depending on form. squad depth
Arne Slot has confirmed he would consider a switch to a 4-4-2 if circumstances demand it, keeping the option alive to accommodate both Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitiké.
Liverpool entered the campaign needing attacking reinforcements after the departures of Luis Díaz and Darwin Núñez and the tragic loss of Diogo Jota. Hugo Ekitiké has made a strong start and could cost as much as £79 million, which complicates any notion of using him purely as a backup. Slot has previously suggested the French forward can occupy the left while Isak leads the line, but he also raised the possibility of reverting to two strikers in the right situation.
“I consider [playing both together] because you consider many things,” Slot told assembled media at his prematch press conference ahead of Saturday’s Merseyside derby against Everton. “It depends on how well they are doing.
“If both in best form of their life, you consider it more but it’s also clear we have a 4-3-3 structure, playing with three midfielders, but it has also happened quite a lot that we end the game with two No. 9s. Hugo can also play off the left, different to Cody [Gakpo] and Rio [Ngumoha].
“That’s the good thing about our squad, we have multiple options but first of all they all have to stay fit. If some aren’t fit, we might have to use them both in a 4-4-2. That all depends on form and how many players are available. Maybe everyone is fit now and I can choose between 21 players, that is quite normal. It’s not too much.”
Under Slot, Liverpool have used a 4-4-2 shape only twice, and on those occasions he fielded two false nines in Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai rather than two orthodox centre forwards. The piece notes the wider tactical context: few top teams now persist with two traditional No. 9s, with Manchester United cited as an example of the difficulties that can create. Inter are mentioned as a rare exception, operating with Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martínez inside a system that retains a midfield three. Slot has not shown a willingness to use three centre backs during his tenure.
There is unlikely to be a wholesale tactical overhaul for the derby and Slot declined to reveal his selection plans. “I don’t think I tell the media a lot the day before a game,” he fired back.
“What I do know is that Alex did feel his body more than ever before after the 60 minutes he played [against Atlético Madrid on Wednesday ],” Slot was willing to admit. “Let’s see how he has recovered today, and then we will think about the lineup.”
Arsenal
Five notable absences from the 2025 FIFPRO World XI nominees
Five absences from 2025 FIFPRO World XI: Kane, Gabriel, Szczęsny, Mac Allister and Caicedo shortlist
The 2025 FIFPRO World XI nominees were announced on Monday and the shortlist left a number of established performers off the list. Several omissions have prompted debate over which players deserved recognition.
Harry Kane was one of the most surprising names absent. He led the Bundesliga in scoring last season, finished with 41 goals in all competitions and won his first major trophy. Kane also finished fifth in the European Golden Boot race behind Kylian Mbappé, Viktor Gyökeres, Mohamed Salah and Robert Lewandowski. The shortlist included two of those names and excluded two, making his omission notable given his scoring numbers.
The exclusion of Gabriel also raised eyebrows. “It’s honestly preference comparing Gabriel and William Saliba, but for many who watched Arsenal closely the Brazilian was arguably the better of the two last season.” The piece highlights Gabriel’s role as a defensive leader who also poses a significant threat from set pieces and notes he is being spoken of as a potential player of the season for the current campaign.
Wojciech Szczęsny was another overlooked name. He returned from retirement midseason to join Barcelona in crisis and made his debut on Jan. 4. By the end of the campaign he had added three more trophies as Barcelona completed a first domestic treble. He subsequently earned a new contract extending his stay through 2027.
Liverpool’s midfield pairing also suffered from the voting. The article points to Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch being left out and argues both had strong claims. Mac Allister missed only three Premier League games last season, contributed 10 goal involvements and was an important part of the title-winning engine room.
Finally, Moisés Caicedo was highlighted as a major snub. Caicedo played every Premier League match last season as Chelsea secured a top-four finish under Enzo Maresca, scored in the UEFA Conference League final and played a major role in Chelsea’s FIFA Club World Cup victory over the summer.
These five absences underline the difficult choices in assembling a World XI and why the 2025 shortlist has drawn criticism.
Liverpool
Carragher Sounds Alarm as Slot Admits Liverpool Have No Answer to Long Balls
Carragher warns of crisis as Liverpool are exposed by long balls, set pieces; Slot admits no answer.
Jamie Carragher warned of “crisis time” for the reigning champions after a sequence of defeats that exposed persistent tactical flaws. Opponents are increasingly exploiting long balls and set pieces, a problem that left Arne Slot openly puzzled after yet another game in which those methods produced goals.
Brentford’s recent success from dead-ball situations was no accident. Keith Andrews was exclusively tasked with overseeing the club’s dead-ball strategy before taking over the hot seat from Thomas Frank in the summer, and an ever-expanding pool of Liverpool opponents have adopted similar direct plans. Manchester United and Chelsea both racked up season-high tallies of long passes in their recent victories against the Reds, leaving Slot to bemoan such a strategy from teams “with all their talented players.”
The Dutch boss conceded: “It is definitely that teams have a certain playing style against us; it is a very good strategy to play. We have not found an answer yet.”
Carragher blamed the lightweight profile of the squad for their failings in these robust aspects of the game. “Liverpool have to look at the physicality and height within their team because, right now, I don’t think they have enough,” fretted the retired centre back—who takes great pride in amassing more than 500 Premier League appearances despite standing at less than 6’ tall—on Sky Sports .
He added: “Losing four games in a row for Brentford would be a disaster,” and warned: “To see the champions do it with the expenditure in the summer means we’re in crisis time for Liverpool right now.
“There will be a lot of serious questions asked in the dressing room between the players and the coaching staff and the people above the manager. When they’ve looked at what they’ve spent, they’ll be looking for a lot more.”
Several of the players accused of frailty arrived in the summer. Florian Wirtz hasn’t quite caught up to the Premier League ’s blood and thunder while Jeremie Frimpong is rarely fit enough to prove whether he can meet those demands. Even though Milos Kerkez thrived in a buccaneering Bournemouth side last term, the change of scenery has seemed to rob the fullback of any physical authority.
Gary Neville offered a milder verdict. “It’s not just a blip any more, it’s becoming a concern,” he mused, adding: “Arne Slot’s Liverpool remind me a bit of my old Man Utd team.” “We went through mad periods where we always looked capable of scoring, but we were all over the place.”
Brentford
Henderson urges patience as he assesses Liverpool after Brentford victory
Henderson urged patience, calling Liverpool a world-class side despite recent poor results. Be calm.
Jordan Henderson used his post-match briefing after Brentford’s result against Liverpool to offer a measured assessment of his former club and to appeal for patience from their supporters.
Having faced Liverpool for the first time since leaving the club in 2023, Henderson encouraged backing for Arne Slot’s side while acknowledging their recent run of poor results. He stressed his view that quality remains across the Liverpool squad.
“You look all over the pitch, there’s not much to go at, they’re all quality players,” he said. “I don’t really see a weakness in the team.
“I know there’s been results of late that haven’t been great for them but, for me, they’re still top players and a top, top team and it’s a matter of time before they get in a rhythm and get going.
“I think there’s been reasons why they haven’t hit the heights from last season but they’re still a world-class team and wherever you look on the pitch there’s world-class players, so it’s always going to be difficult but I thought the [Brentford] lads dug deep, stuck together and caused some problems on the counter.”
Henderson’s own history with Liverpool framed his comments. His first meeting with Liverpool took place in March 2011 when he was at Sunderland; he moved to Anfield that summer and remained there for 12 years, a period that produced Premier League and Champions League success.
Reflecting on that time, he said: “I had been at Liverpool for so long,” the midfielder reflected. “It’s always deep inside me forever now as it was my life for 12 years.
“It was a little bit strange but as soon as the whistle went, it was business as usual and I was ready to go and I’d be in the right frame of mind, which I was.
“I was fully in and felt as good as I ever have. I was there 12 years, dedicated a lot of my life to it. My kids were born there. It holds a special place in my heart.
“I still want Liverpool to do well—of course not when we’re playing them—but overall. That will never change. The fans have always been amazing. It was nice to see a few of them, I know a few of them left a bit early because of the result. But it was nice to see them again.”
