Arne Slot will not hold a pre-match press conference ahead of the Carabao Cup tie between Liverpool and Crystal Palace, continuing a similar trend from earlier this season.
Liverpool supporters have become accustomed to hearing from their manager before and after every game – and during Jurgen Klopp’s reign, often his number 2 before the cup tie.
But that will not be the case on Tuesday with the club turning down an opportunity for an open briefing with the press ahead of Palace’s visit.
Under Carabao Cup rules, clubs are not required to hold a pre-match press conference, simply requiring that at least one player and the head coach be made available for interviews if the match is selected for broadcast.
Wednesday’s fourth round match will be shown live on Sky Sports and as such Slot can be expected to conduct a lengthy Q&A with one of their reporters.
Cup rules remove requirements for press conferences
Liverpool also declined a pre-match press conference ahead of their third round win over Southampton, which included Slot traveling to Paris to attend the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
This time around, however, there are no such alternative plans, with it simply being the case that as the club is under no obligation to hold one, they have chosen not to.
It is important to note that this is not indicative of an internal problem, despite Liverpool’s poor form under Slot at the moment.
Sunday’s 3-2 defeat away to Brentford was the fourth in a row in the Premier League and the fifth in six games in all competitions.
The decision not to hold a press conference could be seen as removing further distractions with the focus on preparations for a must-win tie, but it could also create a negative image of the head coach who is avoiding the media.
In recent years, previews of the Carabao Cup have given supporters the chance to listen to Pepijn Lijnders, Klopp’s loyal assistant.
Lijnders’ press conferences were always fascinating and extremely insightful. They offered a different perspective to the usual manager briefings, with a heavier emphasis on tactics and talent development.
Many expected Slot’s new assistant Giovanni van Bronckhorst to take charge of the media ahead of the match against Southampton, but that did not happen and the same decision was made for Tuesday.
Liverpool will still be based at the AXA Training Center as usual and their sessions ahead of Wednesday’s 7.45pm kick-off could yield hints about those involved.
Right-back Calvin Ramsay could be among the players in contention given Jeremy Frimpong’s injury and the likelihood of rotation for what is still considered a fourth-priority competition.
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