Mirror Football takes a look at the latest news coming out of Anfield, as Arne Slot has been called out for apparently distrusting one of his summer signings at Liverpool
Liverpool’s loss to Manchester City marked the second time in a row that the Premier League champions have entered the international break following a defeat. The Reds were defeated 3-0 this past Sunday, marking their fifth league loss in six games.
While Arne Slot’s side looked to have turned a corner in their 2-0 win against Aston Villa, which they followed up with a 1-0 triumph over Real Madrid, morale hit a new low at the Etihad Stadium.
Thoroughly outclassed by the Citizens, the defeat left the Reds in eighth, eight points off league leaders Arsenal after just 11 games played. With the third international break of the season underway, Slot is once again under immense pressure to drag the Reds out of crisis in what has been a dismal defence of their title.
Mirror Football takes a look at the latest news coming out of Anfield as the Dutchman has been called out for apparently distrusting one of his summer signings, while one Reds star previously believed his future lay away from Merseyside.
Milos Kerkez verdict
It’s been a difficult first few months for most of Liverpool’s summer acquisitions, with Milos Kerkez noticeably struggling to adapt to life at Anfield. Despite being one of the Premier League’s best full-backs last season at Bournemouth, the Hungarian has failed to show the same sort of form that convinced the Reds to fork out £40million for his services.
READ MORE: Liverpool receive clear verdict on Arne Slot’s future after alarming slump in formREAD MORE: Steven Gerrard on three-man shortlist for top EFL job after snubbing Rangers return
The 22-year-old began the season as Slot’s first-choice left-back over Andy Robertson, but the veteran has won back his place and has started the last three matches across all competitions.
His relegation to the bench has left Chris Sutton convinced that he has lost the confidence of the manager. Speaking on the BBC’s Monday Night Club podcast, the ex-Chelsea striker said: “Arne Slot hung his hat on Kerkez at the start of the season, Robertson was out in the cold and, all of a sudden, I think he has lost faith in Kerkez.”
Conor Bradley claim
In what was an indifferent start to the season for Conor Bradley, the Northern Irishman has returned to form of late with impressive performances against Aston Villa and Real Madrid. The 22-year-old was seen as the Reds’ long-term replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, but the signing of Jeremie Frimpong poured doubt on that prospect.
It was only in May when Bradley signed a new four-year contract after becoming a valuable squad member under Jurgen Klopp and now Slot. It was during the 2023/24 campaign that he had his breakthrough, but prior to that, he had serious questions surrounding his Anfield future during his loan spell to Bolton Wanderers.
Speaking last year, he said: “They told me that they wouldn’t forget about me when I was out on loan. But at the time, you don’t really believe it. You think, ‘A loan, that’s sort of me done here.’ But you have to keep working hard.
“I played around 50 games for Bolton, and it was the best thing for me at that time. It turned me into what I am now; it changed me from a boy into a man. I’m so grateful for the opportunity Bolton gave me to go and play so many games there. It got me ready for coming back at Liverpool and giving it my best shot.”
Bradley endured a troublesome night at the Etihad Stadium, going up against Jeremy Doku, but certainly put his best foot forward against the tricky Belgian. His performance in an otherwise dour night for the reigning champions saw him earn praise from Pep Guardiola.
The City boss said: “Conor, the right-back, I was really, really impressed with. Pep Lijnders said he could do everything. I know the game against Madrid how good he was against Vinicius. And Jeremy [Doku] handled it, aggressive with and without the ball. He played an outstanding game.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
