Gary Neville has urged Liverpool to adjust their defensive lineup and formation to turn around their alarming performance. Liverpool experienced a disheartening 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, marking their sixth defeat in just seven matches. Defender Virgil van Dijk acknowledged that they are not meeting the expectations of their manager, who guided them to last season’s Premier League title.
Neville recommended that manager Arne Slot reverts to a more defensive strategy to tighten their leaky defense.
In their match against Forest, Liverpool featured Dominik Szoboszlai, Ibrahima Konaté, Van Dijk, and Milos Kerkez.
“The manager needs to rethink the style or the system,” Neville said during an interview with Sky Sports. “He has to assist the team. This means being more solid defensively and in midfield.”
“I’m suggesting some personnel changes. Kerkez is having a tough time, and Konaté is struggling as well.”
He continued, “Similar to what Arsenal and Manchester City have executed, play four center-backs in the back line. Maintain a compact and organized defense to prevent other teams from having scoring opportunities.”
“In midfield, field a narrow four. This could include Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, and either Florian Wirtz or Cody Gakpo tucked in.”
“Then you might consider keeping Mohamed Salah alongside Hugo Ekitike or Alexander Isak, or you could use both. Just ensure they work back.”
“This is about thinking outside the box. It may seem elementary for me to suggest this to Arne Slot, a top-class coach, but I have seen elite coaches set aside their egos and adapt their strategies when necessary.”
“At this point, Liverpool is not playing at their best. They are vulnerable, which means it’s crucial to make some changes.”
– Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk: We’re letting Slot down amid ‘mess’ of a season
– Liverpool’s Premier League crisis: The stats that shame Arne Slot after Nottingham Forest loss
– Arne Slot: ‘I am responsible’ but Liverpool ‘have a way out’
Liverpool currently sits 11th in the Premier League, marking the first time in a decade that they find themselves in the bottom half of the table.
Van Dijk expressed that the season feels chaotic and stressed the need for his teammates to step up.
Recently, Liverpool has conceded three goals to Nottingham Forest, Manchester City, Crystal Palace, and Brentford.