Ruthless Reset: Four Liverpool Stars Slot Should Move On After City Mauling
Liverpool were tipped for a title reprise after adding Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz to a champions’ dressing room, but the gloss has worn off quickly. Defeats to Crystal Palace (twice), Chelsea, Galatasaray, Manchester United and Brentford told their own story. Brief respite came with wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid, only for Manchester City to hand out a 3-0 lesson that dumped the Reds straight back into their funk. Enough is enough—if Liverpool want to keep pace, Arne Slot has to be ruthless. For those tracking the title odds, a glance at the best betting sites tells you the market’s faith is wobbling too.
1) Ibrahima Konaté — time to cash in
When Konaté arrived from RB Leipzig in 2021, he looked the long-term foil for Virgil van Dijk. For a while he was exactly that—quick across the ground, strong in the air, and composed with the ball. But since August, the concentration has wavered, and the errors have crept in at a cost. The City defeat was another bruising watch, the kind that makes supporters question whether he’s still the answer.
Maybe the summer noise—links to Marc Guéhi, whispers of Madrid—has muddied the waters. Either way, with his deal heading into its final months, the cold business call is obvious: sell while there’s a fee to be had and recruit a calmer, right-sided centre-half who can reset this back line.
2) Wataru Endo — great pro, wrong profile
This isn’t a dig at Endo the footballer; it’s a reality check for a squad that’s lost its balance. Slot needs a reliable deputy who can mirror Alexis Mac Allister’s control when the Argentine dips or rests. The truth? Endo isn’t trusted for that responsibility right now. He was left on the bench at the Etihad and has played just four league games this season for a total of 39 minutes. At 32, he’s a short-term patch in a role that demands long-term certainty.
If Slot wants the midfield to purr, he needs a younger metronome—think Adam Wharton’s composure or Eduardo Camavinga’s all-court bite. If Endo won’t be used, free the spot and move decisively.
3) Federico Chiesa — decide or divide
No question about the talent. After a stop-start, injury-hit first year, Chiesa has flashed his quality off the flanks. But flashes are all he’s been granted. He has just 125 Premier League minutes across eight matches, yet still two goals and an assist to show for it. Against City, he didn’t appear until the 83rd minute for an out-of-sorts Wirtz—far too late to affect a game already gone.
If he’s not central to Slot’s plans, be fair to the player and the wage bill: sell and reinvest. Keeping a match-winner as a cameo merchant is poor squad management.
4) Mohamed Salah — the sacred cow question
It stings to say it, but hard truths beat nostalgia. Salah earned his extension off a monster return last season—29 goals and 18 assists—yet this campaign he’s looked short of his usual snap. Four league goals so far is fine, but the menace and work without the ball have dipped; at the Etihad he looked blunted and reluctant to graft. At 33, is this a blip or the first sign of a slide?
He could easily silence the doubters, he’s done it before. But if a serious offer lands, Liverpool must think with the head, not the heart. This rebuild needs funding and clarity, not sentiment.
The minutes that tell the story
Usage often reveals a manager’s trust. Among those with at least one league outing: Rio Ngumoha has 33 minutes across four games; Wataru Endo 39 in four; Joe Gomez 47 in four; Jeremie Frimpong 86 in four; Federico Chiesa 125 in eight. For a team crying out for incision and control, that distribution is, frankly, baffling.
Verdict: rip the bandage off
City’s 3-0 was a brutal audit. Liverpool can’t just hope last season’s habits reappear; they need to reshape what’s clearly stalling. Move Konaté on while there’s value, replace Endo with a younger controller, either start Chiesa or cash in, and be prepared—however painful—to assess Salah’s market. This is not a wobble; it’s a fork in the road, and Slot must choose decisiveness over deference.
All statistics courtesy of FBref and Transfermarkt — correct as of 10/11/25.
