Liverpool lost 0-3: £446.5 million and slot limit.

Anfield fell silent on the night Liverpool lost 0-3 to Crystal Palace and were knocked out of the Carabao Cup. After a summer spending spree of £446.5 million, that defeat was not only a shock but also a reflection of Arne Slot's squad limitations: excessive rotation, new players not yet fitting in, and a lack of depth.

A 0-3 defeat and the question of £446.5 million.

A record-breaking transfer window has put Liverpool in the spotlight, but the 90 minutes against Crystal Palace raise questions: do the reigning Premier League champions really have the depth to compete on multiple fronts? The 0-3 defeat at Anfield saw Liverpool knocked out of the Carabao Cup and fueled doubts about their squad structure.

Rotating 10 slots and an explanation from Arne Slot

Arne Slot made 10 changes to the starting lineup compared to the previous match, leaving Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Hugo Ekitz out, and pushing many young players into reserve roles. The manager explained that he needed to conserve his squad for the upcoming matches against Aston Villa, Real Madrid, and Man City.

Slot said: "We don't have as deep a squad as people think. There's too much attention on the money Liverpool have spent... but we basically have 20 players, then there are four injured."

The problem isn't the number of injuries, but who gets injured.

Although statistics don't show Liverpool having more injuries than their rivals, the absences directly impact the team's playing structure. Ryan Gravenberch is considered a crucial piece in the midfield; when he's out, Liverpool lack a clear replacement and immediately struggle.

Expert Jamie O'Hara emphasized: "People say Liverpool have an incredible squad and have built a Galactico team, and that's true, but other players have also left. They just replace players in a 'one goes, another comes' fashion."

Transfer plan: buy in bulk, assemble it into a unit.

Alexander Isak missed most of the preseason, so he's had a slow start and is experiencing minor fitness issues. Florian Wirtz – the highly anticipated signing to boost creativity – is struggling to adapt to the pace and intensity of English football; Slot has yet to find the optimal position for the German midfielder.

Jeremie Frimpong struggled playing as a full-back in a four-man formation and also failed to impress when pushed further forward to replace Mohamed Salah. Quality players arrived, but their integration into Slot's system lacked cohesion. The cases of Ekitike, Wirtz, and Frimpong highlighted the gaps in role planning from day one.

On the left flank, Milos Kerkez is inconsistent, partly due to the fluctuating form of the central defensive pairing of Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk. When the defensive foundation is unstable, any attempts to control the game and transition between phases become fragile.

The defense was weak and the opportunities were missed.

Liverpool failed to retain a number of key players in the flanks and midfield as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarell Quansah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Harvey Elliott, and Kostas Tsimikas departed during the summer. An attempt to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace fell through on the final day of the transfer window, while Giovanni Leoni suffered an early injury – two events that further exacerbated the squad problem.

A crucial week after 6 losses in 7 games.

The recent run of results – six defeats in the last seven matches – has put Liverpool at a crossroads. The decision to rotate the squad could be seen as a mistake if the slump continues, but it could also be a positive step if the team achieves good results against Aston Villa, Real Madrid, and Man City. The pressure is mounting – something few anticipated given the announcement of the blockbuster signings.

Key figures

Upcoming match schedule

• Aston Villa
• Real Madrid
• Man City