Steve McManaman has fired back at critics of Liverpool, addressing the discussion about the team’s performance this season with a savvy observation.
Arsenal, our closest contenders, are certainly feeling the heat. They’ve been struggling in recent matches against West Ham and Nottingham Forest, mainly due to the absence of key forwards. This has cost them dearly, pushing them 13 points behind the Premier League leaders. On the other hand, Manchester City is also facing a rocky road in their title defense. Rodri’s ACL injury has sidelined him since September, impacting the team’s dynamics. Moreover, they’ve recently been missing Erling Haaland, though his return brought a crucial victory against Tottenham Hotspur.
On TNT Sports, after Liverpool secured a 2-0 triumph over Newcastle, McManaman emphasized that the Reds’ relatively fewer injuries this season are thanks to more than just good fortune. He credited Ruben Peeters, the lead physical performance coach, for this improvement rather than attributing it to mere luck.
The former Liverpool winger explained: “People might say we’ve been lucky with injuries. There’s some truth to that, but remember Arne Slot brought in a trusted sports scientist, who’s been spectacular. It’s not luck. He consistently rotates the squad with five substitutes per game. He’s careful with players, given the demanding schedule.”
Liverpool hasn’t been immune to injury woes either. McManaman correctly points out that they’ve had to navigate a tough fixture list in 2025, with five league matches over the last two weeks and a total of 16 games across competitions since January began. While their situation might not be as dire as Arsenal’s or Man City’s, claiming they’ve been purely ‘lucky’ would be incorrect.
Slot has had to manage without notable players like Federico Chiesa, Alisson Becker, Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate, Diogo Jota, Conor Bradley, and Harvey Elliott for stretches, and even Trent Alexander-Arnold had a short stint on the sidelines.
Reflecting back to last year, Liverpool managed to win the Carabao Cup final with a mix of seasoned players and academy talents. However, their momentum fizzled out post-Easter. Learning from that experience, Slot wisely brought Peeters to Anfield to avoid a similar fate this year.
When a team is leading the Premier League by 13 points in late February, it signals something deeper than just ‘luck’. As McManaman points out, this success is largely due to Slot’s strategic and skillful management of a highly talented squad.
