Sutton questions Frimpong’s role under Slot at Liverpool

Chris Sutton has raised doubts over Jeremie Frimpong’s place in Arne Slot’s plans at Liverpool. The former Blackburn Rovers striker believes recent selections and performances point to uncertainty around the Dutch full-back.

Sutton casts doubt on Frimpong

Speaking on the Football Daily Podcast, Sutton said: “I’m not sure he’s having [Jeremie] Frimpong, Arne Slot. At the weekend I was at the game against Crystal Palace, and let’s get it right, they thoroughly deserved to beat Liverpool. They were really direct in the way that they played with balls in behind and Liverpool just couldn’t cope.”

Frimpong arrived from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer but has struggled with an injury that ruled him out for several weeks. Despite his return, he has often been overlooked, with Sutton highlighting how “he [Slot] made substitutions and he put Szoboszlai to right back. He took Bradley off, Szoboszlai to right back and Frimpong stayed on the bench.”

Questions over Liverpool’s defensive choices

When Frimpong eventually appeared, Sutton was critical of his involvement in Palace’s decisive moment. “He eventually did come on and was part of that, you know, his poor defending. It was amazing, and that’s probably why he’s not having him because that was an amazing decision from Frimpong in that moment to actually even have in his mind to start moving forward when his job as a right back is to essentially defend.”

The lapse allowed Palace to capitalise, with Sutton adding: “He left [Eddie] Nketiah alone and the finish was brilliant but that was down to him.”

Slot’s Liverpool remains in transition

Sutton concluded with a wider reflection on Liverpool’s new look under Slot, saying: “So when you think that Liverpool have changed full-backs from last season – and even Kerkez off the left-hand side, I do feel that they are a work in progress.”

Frimpong’s start has been difficult, and questions remain about how quickly he can adapt to Slot’s demands.