Fewer Touches Than Alisson: Slot Must Immediately Axe Liverpool’s 6/10 Man After Milan Display
Liverpool kicked off their 2024/25 Champions League campaign with a hard-fought victory over AC Milan at the San Siro on Tuesday evening. The match saw goals from Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, and Dominik Szoboszlai, securing their first win in the group stage.
Despite Liverpool’s win, Arne Slot’s side dominated possession for much of the match. AC Milan took an early lead, with former Chelsea star Christian Pulisic scoring after just three minutes, putting the hosts ahead.
However, Liverpool delivered an impressive performance in response. The team managed to overcome their disappointing 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League just days earlier, showing their resilience and determination.
Several players stepped up with improved performances, contributing to the club’s strong start in their European campaign. The result gives Liverpool a positive boost as they aim for success in this year’s Champions League.
Liverpool’s Star Performers Against AC Milan
Cody Gakpo made the most of his return to the starting lineup, delivering an impressive performance despite not finding the back of the net.
The Dutch international played a key role in assisting Szoboszlai’s goal in the second half. In addition, Gakpo completed four dribbles, more than any other player on Slot’s team during the match.
The 25-year-old also won seven duels, a record for any player on either team throughout the game. His contributions on both sides of the pitch were vital for the Reds.
| Cody Gakpo’s stats against AC Milan (17/09/2024) | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | Tally |
| Minutes played | 68 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Passes completed | 18/22 (82%) |
| Key passes | 2 |
| Dribbles completed | 4/7 (57%) |
| Duels won | 7 |
| Shots on target | 2 |
| Stats Source: Sofascore | |
Centre-back Konate delivered an impressive performance alongside Van Dijk, as the duo once again anchored the Reds’ defence. The French defender achieved a 93% pass accuracy, won every tackle he contested, and made eight recoveries, playing a key role in helping the Reds overturn an early deficit in Milan.
Despite the impressive performances from the duo, one first-team player delivered another poor display, prompting Slot to take action as the club prepares to return to Premier League football this weekend.
Why Slot Needs to Drop Diogo Jota Immediately
Diogo Jota was fortunate to keep his place in the starting lineup following his performance against Forest last weekend, where he was substituted after 60 minutes for Darwin Núñez.
Although he started again in last night’s win, Jota’s performance remained underwhelming, leading to his substitution after 68 minutes, once more replaced by Núñez.
The Portugal international had two shots during the game but wasted both, with both opportunities classified as significant chances.
| Minutes | 68 |
| Touches | 23 |
| Shots | 2 |
| Dribbles | 0 |
| Duel Won | 1/8 |
He had just 23 touches during the game, which was even fewer than teammate Alisson, who achieved 27 touches in goal. This highlights his lack of influence on the match.
It becomes even more concerning when considering that Alisson only had one save to make, as much of the play was controlled by the opposing team.
In addition to his limited touches, Jota lost possession eight times and won only 13% of the duels he participated in, frequently losing battles against the opposition defenders.
As a result, Liverpool Echo journalist Paul Gorst rated Jota 6/10 for his performance, reflecting how poor his showing was in the European fixture.
There’s no question that the 27-year-old has talent and possesses great qualities in the attacking third, but he has been struggling significantly to make any positive impact against Slot’s team.
Considering his current form, Slot should consider removing Jota from the starting lineup and replacing him for the upcoming league match against Bournemouth at Anfield this Saturday.
In other Liverpool news, “Done Really Well” – Alan Shearer Names Liverpool Trio Who Really Impressed Him vs AC Milan
