Rooney and Shearer believe Arne Slot evidently doesn’t trust ‘worrying’ Liverpool signing

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Liverpool have now lost three games in a row in all competitions to put a definitive end to their strong start to the season under Arne Slot.

Seven wins in a row, with five in the Premier League, saw the Reds set the pace as the early frontrunners to reclaim the title after they won it last season.

But losses to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and Chelsea in the space of a week have seen Liverpool fall off top spot in the top-flight, as well as into the unseeded section of the table in the Champions League.

It’s something that boss Arne Slot will need to remedy going forward, but Premier League heroes Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer have already found issues with their right-back selection.

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Rooney and Shearer: Arne Slot doesn’t have faith in any of his three right-backs

In each of Liverpool’s ten games this season, it’s been a direct split in terms of starts between their three right-back choices.

Marauding wing-back Jeremie Frimpong, who signed in the summer from Bayer Leverkusen, has started in one Premier League game, as well as their Carabao Cup clash with Southampton.

Academy graduate Conor Bradley has been in the starting XI in three Premier League games but none in other competitions, and that led Dominik Szoboszlai onto the team sheet for their Champions League match against Galatasaray, as well as three Premier League games whilst Frimpong was out with injury.

The striking legends are unsure as to what Slot’s mindset is in that regard. Speaking to the BBC, Rooney said: “I think there was worrying signs from the start.

“I know obviously Liverpool win the games, but they weren’t winning them in in a way a manner they was last season.

“And I think there was there was signs there that something weren’t quite right. And I think the last week has shown that.

“I think he’s obviously he clearly doesn’t trust any of the right backs.”

Shearer agreed with his fellow Premier League legend, stating to Premier League productions that Slot isn’t comfortable with Frimpong at right-back, as well as trying two others in that position.

The Newcastle icon said: “They’ve signed Frimpong, and he’s not comfortable with him at right-back, they’ve tried three different right-backs, Frimpong, Szoboszlai and Bradley.

“He’s played Frimpong up top on the right of a front three on Thursday at Istanbul, that didn’t work either.

“So they have big problems, not just defensively but in the midfield as well.”

With Szoboszlai being a natural midfielder, Slot needs to figure out his best plan of attack.

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Dominik Szoboszlai has proven to be Liverpool’s best right-back this season

Although he’s not a natural full-back, Szoboszlai has been Liverpool’s best option so far.

Scoring a free-kick against Arsenal from right-back, that proved to be a match-winning incident from the Hungarian, and Liverpool have won every domestic game he’s started there.

While Frimpong’s attacking talents are evident from his time in the Bundesliga, his defending can leave a lot to be desired.

Arne Slot’s comments after their last-gasp defeat to Crystal Palace appeared to have blamed him for letting Eddie Nketiah score a last-minute winner. He said: “One of our players ran out because he wanted to play a counter-attack, which was of no use because time was up, so it was only about defending.

“One player was too offensively minded in that moment, which led to them scoring the winner and us losing the game.”

That leaves Bradley, who is probably Liverpool’s best defensive option in that area of the pitch, though he isn’t prolific going forward.

Szoboszlai’s all-round nature could therefore put him ahead of his two teammates in the pecking order, and Joe Gomez who has featured there before.