Jurgen Klopp has explained why he believes Liverpool are at "risk of being exposed" under Arne Slot. The Dutchman's reign has been almost dreamlike since he arrived in England. He guided Liverpool to the Premier League crown last season and opened this campaign with a perfect run of seven straight wins in all competitions. But the first cracks showed at Selhurst Park on Saturday as Crystal Palace beat the Reds 2-1, and Klopp has raised the alarm bell with his observations.
Smooth sailing turns shaky in London
The Reds’ flawless streak hit the buffers on Saturday against Crystal Palace, who delivered a bruising reality check. Ismaila Sarr fired the hosts ahead from a corner after Palace dominated the early exchanges. Liverpool clung on thanks to Alisson’s world-class saves before Federico Chiesa looked to have rescued a point, slotting home after VAR waved away a Mohamed Salah handball shout. But the drama in the Premier League clash wasn’t done. With minutes left, Will Hughes hurled in a long throw that was flicked back into danger, which allowed Eddie Nketiah to control and lash past Alisson. The home crowd erupted, and Liverpool trudged off with their first defeat of the season.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportKlopp’s stark assessment
Klopp, now watching on from the outside, stopped short of outright criticism but made it clear that the high-octane approach under Slot leaves open doors for opponents to exploit.
In an interview with he said: "[Man] City is on the way back, they change a little bit. Managers need that as well… a new way of looking at things to keep it fresh. Liverpool is playing a specific (style), so really, really good. Very offensive oriented. Do they take the risk a little bit of being exposed? Different ways to go, let me say it like that. I’m not the pope of football who tells people what to do. At least not outside the Red Bull world.”
Warning signs for the champions
Seven wins from seven in 2025-26, plus last season’s title, prove Slot has got plenty right. However, opponents will smell blood if they believe Liverpool are vulnerable during set pieces. Selhurst Park was the first real glimpse of that weakness.
(C)Getty imagesAll eyes on Galatasaray clash
Liverpool travel to Turkey on Tuesday night to face Galatasaray in a Champions League clash that suddenly feels like a test of Slot’s resilience. However, one thing is certain: Klopp’s comments will echo loudly if Liverpool show the same soft underbelly in Istanbul during dead-ball situations.