A former Liverpool star who started in a Champions League final for the club has suggested that he is “done” with head coach Arne Slot following the Reds’ 1-0 defeat away at Galatasaray in the Champions League last-16 first leg.
On Tuesday (10 March), Liverpool suffered their second defeat to Galatasaray of the 2025/26 Champions League campaign, having also lost 1-0 to the Turkish champions during the league phase.
Former Southampton, Wolves and Fulham midfielder Mario Lemina nodded home the only goal of the game in the seventh minute, which was enough to hand the Istanbul outfit a one-goal advantage ahead of next Wednesday’s (18 March) second leg on Merseyside.
Gala also had a second goal chalked off for offside after Victor Osimhen took advantage of Ibrahima Konate’s mistake, but Baris Alper Yilmaz was adjudged to be offside during the build-up, so the score remained 1-0.
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Liverpool centre-back Konate was involved once more on 70 minutes when the English side had the ball in the net from Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner, only for it to be ruled out by VAR due to the ball striking the Frenchman’s arm twice in the build-up.
After the match, fans and pundits criticised Liverpool’s lacklustre performance, as well as focusing on Slot’s decision-making.
Former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant, who made 81 appearances for the club between 2006 and 2009, did not hold back when offering his thoughts on social media.
The 43-year-old said he was “done” with Slot and that he was confused by the lack of opportunity and playing time given to teenage winger Rio Ngumoha, despite the youngster putting in a Man of the Match performance against Wolves last Friday (6 March).
“OK, I’m done with Slot now. [Ngumoha] played 65 mins and was man of the match last game,” Pennant wrote on X.
“87 mins gone, every single player has been horrendous and Rio has not come on… Please, can anyone make it make sense?”
Despite impressing against Wolves, Slot opted to introduce Cody Gakpo, Andrew Robertson and Jeremie Frimpong in Istanbul rather than Ngumoha.
Fans also waded in with their thoughts on social media.
One said: “That wasn’t on the manager. Wirtz should’ve scored twice. Ekitike should use the ball better, make runs in behind and affect the six-yard box. Szoboszlai should spend less time fixing his hair and focus on football, and the club should’ve sold Mo in January.”
Another added: “I get the impression Slot is so egotistical that he doesn’t appreciate the weekly clamour for Rio to be playing and is nearly making a point. Doesn’t make sense at all. Been piss poor here tonight all over the pitch.”
A third commented: “There is something fundamentally wrong with this team. Salah is not contributing one bit but is playing every game. The team is strained because it’s like they are playing with 10 men. So many issues here. Slot cannot fix this. It’s so frustrating watching this.”
Liverpool return to Premier League action at home against relegation-threatened Spurs on 15 March.
Topics: Liverpool, Champions League, Arne Slot, Football, Galatasaray
Luke Davies