Jamie Carragher said Liverpool’s defeat to Newcastle at Wembley was one of their “worst performances” in a cup final and believes it has “shone a light” on a major problem facing Arne Slot.
Liverpool were beaten 2-1 by Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final as Eddie Howe’s side ended their 70-year wait for a domestic trophy but the margin of victory could have greater.
Former Liverpool defender Carragher said Slot’s side were “battered” by Newcastle and their struggles in attack were evident as Mohamed Salah had a quiet afternoon at Wembley.
Liverpool are 12 points clear of Arsenal in the Premier League but this has been a painful week with defeats to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and now Newcastle in the Carabao Cup.
Liverpool have only lost three other games - to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, Plymouth in the FA Cup and a Champions League dead rubber at PSG - but Carragher said it’s clear where they have to improve.
"It's one of the worst performances I have seen from Liverpool in a cup final, going back a very long time,” Carragher said on Sky Sports.
“But they've given so much this season and their in a position with the league title that no one really expected. In the main they’ve only lost three or four games that they wanted to win all season.
“It's shone a light on where Liverpool still need to improve. I think the lack of pace in the team, in attack, is glaring.
“I feel sorry for Mohamed Salah. He's taken criticism after the two Paris Saint-Germain games. He didn’t do too much and he wasn’t great today. But he doesn't get help off the attackers.
“It’s not like how it was under Jurgen Klopp where Sadio Mane could bail Liverpool out, or Roberto Firmino. The current attackers Liverpool have got are good players but not they’ve great players.
“They have relied on Salah so much I don’t want to see too much criticism of him after this week. What it’s shone a light on is Liverpool need to buy two attackers, not squad players, to play alongside Salah next season.”
“I have been excited this season because it looks like Liverpool can win the league and there’s still lots to improve. So I’m not just saying this off the back of Liverpool losing.”
Slot has only signed one outfield player since taking over from Jurgen Klopp last summer but Federico Chiesa, who scored Liverpool’s consolation goal, has barely played.
Slot accepted that Liverpool’s performance at Wembley was “disappointing” but the head coach remained upbeat at their position at the top of the Premier League table.
“We are here, one of the biggest clubs in the world, Liverpool, but it's not for the first time in their history or in the last two seasons that they've lost two games. This is part of playing football,” Slot said.
“It was a tough week, but it was also a week where we extended our (Premier League) lead to 12 points from maybe 10. So it wasn't all negative but, yeah, the last two were definitely not the way we wanted it to be."
“It's part of football. If you face strong teams, you can lose as well, but ideally you go through the whole season only winning, winning, winning. But yeah, it can happen that you also lose twice in a row.”
