Arne Slot blames Liverpool players for their defeat to Plymouth and admits the shocking loss is painful.

Arne Slot criticized his Liverpool players for falling short of expectations after they were eliminated from the FA Cup by Plymouth Argyle, the bottom club in the Championship.

With a Merseyside derby against Everton approaching on Wednesday, Slot made 10 changes to the team that had recently thrashed Tottenham 4-0 in the Carabao Cup semi-final. However, the rotated squad put in a poor performance, and Slot admitted Plymouth fully deserved their victory.

“It’s a fantastic day for Plymouth,” Slot told ITV Sport. “They had a strong game plan and deserve full credit for their performance. We weren’t at our best, and this result reflects that.

“I can’t say the players didn’t fight—it was a battle for 100 minutes. Neither side created many chances, and the match was decided by a correctly awarded penalty.

“In tight games like this, it often comes down to one decisive moment, and Plymouth took theirs. They played well and deserved their win.”

Slot admitted he was disappointed with his squad players’ performances and that the defeat was painful.

“I believe the players on the pitch today are capable of more, but Plymouth’s defensive approach made it difficult to create chances,” he said. “We expected to perform better, but credit to Plymouth for their game plan.

“This loss hurts everyone associated with Liverpool—fans, players, and myself. We wanted to stay in this competition, and going out this early is a setback.

“We kept fighting until the final whistle. Most of our chances came in the last 10-15 minutes, so it wasn’t a lack of effort—we just struggled to break them down.”

Speaking to BBC Sport, Slot dismissed the idea that Liverpool’s struggles were due to fielding a young or inexperienced side.

“There weren’t many young players in the team. Everyone keeps saying—and I agree—that we have a strong squad. These players contribute when they come off the bench.

“The absence of our usual starters isn’t an excuse. This team should have been able to win. But we knew it would be a tough game because of

their playing style.”