When the Liverpool boss tells Amorim he had a ‘very smart game plan’.

Liverpool manager Arn Sloat has made it clear he did not mean to be negative about Manchester United after the Reds’ defeat, telling Ruben Amorim he has a “very smart game plan”.

Slott showed himself to be a bit whitewashed after the United beat Liverpool 2-1 on Sunday. He suggested the reason his Reds side found it difficult – and lost their fourth game on spin – was because of less blocking and longer balls by United.

“It’s always difficult to play against a team that defends in a low block and mainly plays the long ball. When you go down after a minute, it’s even more difficult when one of our players is on the floor,” he said.

Now, ahead of Liverpool’s next game, a Champions League tie with Eintracht Frankfurt, Slott has made that clear.

He told TNT Sports: “We faced a team that had a very good game plan.

“After the game there was a little debate about what I said, but it was meant as a compliment… So, they had less block and played a lot of long balls. I was asked why it was difficult, and that’s why.

“It wasn’t criticism, it was me trying to explain why the game was made difficult. If you win the ball back after they’ve played it long, there are 11 players behind the ball. I would add that, to a certain extent, I was positive that we created as many chances as we did.

“Against (Crystal) Palace, we were able to create a lot against a low block, which is also against United, but there haven’t been many games since I’ve been in charge, we’ve been able to create a lot of chances against a low block with a 5-4-1.

“It was a very smart game plan and certainly their last three pointers – two of them for sure – in (Mathes) Konah and (Brian) Mbemo influenced the game.”

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Liverpool clearly found it difficult against United and although they created chances and probably should have scored more than they did, they only managed one goal.

With Slott now pointing out that he’s lost two games in a row against Kim Block, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make changes to try to break down better.

It will also come as no surprise with other sides changing their tactics to try to hurt the Premier League title holders.

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