Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock has questioned Arne Slot’s substitutions during the Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, having felt the Reds boss “wasted” one of his changes.
Liverpool’s European hopes were dashed on Tuesday as it suffered a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to the French champion at Anfield. Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones both missed their spot-kicks, having been introduced from the bench.
Slot was forced into two changes during the game, with Jarell Quansah replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold during the second half of normal time after the Reds vice-captain was forced off injured, while Wataru Endo had to replace Ibrahima Konate when the defender pulled up with what looked to be cramp in extra time.
It was Slot’s decisions to bring Nunez, Jones and Cody Gakpo on that Warnock took issue with. The latter of that trio was making just his third appearance since picking up an ankle injury during last month’s Merseyside derby at Everton, with the Liverpool boss admitting before kick-off that Gakpo had only returned to training on the Monday prior to the clash with PSG.
“Darwin Nunez didn’t have an affect on the game and Curtis Jones was poor when he came on,” Warnock told BBC Radio 5 Live as he summed up Liverpool’s defeat.
“Cody Gakpo didn’t look fit. It looked like a wasted substitution from Liverpool.”
Warnock would also go on to question the decision to have Nunez take one of the penalties during the shootout. The Uruguayan saw his spot-kick saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma, with his expression afterward summing up the situation he currently finds himself in at Anfield.
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“You could feel it as soon as he was walking forward,” Warnock said on the Football Daily podcast. “There was a sense of ‘oh no,’ and he was probably not the right option.
“To be honest, I am not going to say anything about anyone who takes a penalty, all credit to them, but I get what you mean. It’s that confidence when you are stepping up. It is just one of those situations.
“I am sat here thinking, wow, look at the size of Donnarumma. If he dives the right way, he has a great chance of saving it.”
Liverpool.com says: There was a slight sense of desperation from Slot with his substitutions, especially the Gakpo one. The Dutchman just doesn’t look fit at the moment, but given his form this season, he was probably seen as good an option as any to come on and try and give Liverpool the lead.
As for Nunez’s penalty, it was always likely he would end up taking one, and if we’re being honest, it felt inevitable that he would miss out. He simply can’t catch a break at the moment, and it feels as though his exit in the summer is somewhat unavoidable now.
