Arne Slot compared Plymouth Argyle’s tactics to those used by Manchester United after the Championship’s bottom club eliminated Liverpool from the FA Cup.
Liverpool suffered a fourth round exit after a 1-0 defeat at Home Park on Sunday afternoon, ending their hopes of a quadruple for another season.
Slot opted to rest many of his first-team regulars with Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah among those left out of the squad.
Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota were among those tasked with getting the job done against the Pilgrims but failed to deliver up against a resolute Plymouth defence.
Slot was full of praise for the opposition and believed even his star men would have struggled with the long balls that troubled his side down on the coast.
The Liverpool boss made similar comments following his side’s 2-2 draw with arch-rivals United at Anfield in early January, admitting his side need to find a solution when playing against that setup.
‘You never know what would happen if we played with our starters,’ Slot said in his post-match press conference.
‘We have seen a few times this season that it is a game plan that is difficult for our starers but also for the ones that played today.
‘Constant long ball, second ball, long ball, second ball. It’s difficult for every team.
‘We had this at home to United as well for example they had a similar playing style going to a very low block and kicking every ball long. And then [that day] we played with our starters.
‘So I think today we show why we played with those ones who played today because these players need game rhythm as well to be ready in the upcoming months.
‘You saw today some of these players really need games like this to be ready for the last three months of the season.’
Liverpool are still fighting on three fronts, six points clear at the summit of the Premier League. They can extend that gap to nine points when they take on Everton in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday.
They will take on Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final next month and have reached the knockout stages of the Champions League.
MORE: Liverpool star blasted for ‘poor’ performance in FA Cup disaster against Plymouth
MORE: Barcelona star snubbed Man Utd despite club offering to double his salary
MORE: Joe Gomez injury update after Liverpool crash out of FA Cup against Plymouth
