Arne Slot gives stars dressing-down after conceding another late winner

“Yeah he was angry. Of course,” Van Dijk said of his Dutch compatriot Slot. “He had every right because we played poorly.

“That was already the case in the first half. In the second half, maybe there was more urgency, but it still wasn’t good enough.

“He had every right to be angry. We have to pretty quickly turn this into full focus on Friday. That’s our responsibility, physically and mentally.”

Liverpool head back to Molineux on Friday for an FA Cup fifth-round tie against Rob Edwards’ side, and will do so with the scrutiny upon them as intense as ever. Last summer’s £450million spending spree, coupled with outgoings of more than £200million, created a period of transition that meant this season would bring certain challenges.

However, that transition has stalled due to availability issues, primarily caused by Alexander Isak’s broken leg, while Florian Wirtz has missed the past three games with a back problem.

Hugo Ekitike, another summer signing, has scored 16 goals in all competitions, but was not meant to lead the line as he has done for most of the season. It was anticipated that there would be times he would play as the No9, and occasions when the plan would be to use him off the left, but his acclimatisation to the unique demands of English football has largely come playing as the attacking spearhead because of Isak’s injury.

Consider, too, the drop-off in performances from players such as Cody Gakpo and Salah — another complicating factor for a club whose defence of the Premier League title effectively ended in October.

Slot does not have many options to change the team, which raises questions about how that £450million was spent by sporting director Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards, the chief executive of football for Liverpool’s owner Fenway Sports Group, and whether, in fact, more change was needed.

The head coach could start the 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha — and that seems likely with the focus now switching to the cup — but would have to accept that he will lose the ball at times.

While there are issues out of Slot’s control, others fall firmly in his remit. Liverpool’s tepid starts to matches has been a feature of their displays all season, along with the propensity to concede late on.

Van Dijk argued that the nature of the goals they have conceded after the 90th minute of matches have all been different, but the point is that Slot’s side have repeatedly eschewed control and solidity, only to be floored by a sucker punch after finding a way back into the game.

Slot’s answer that losing to Wolves was the “same old story” does not reflect well on him. It is all very well going for victories, but it should not then jeopardise leaving with a point — especially when it has happened so often previously in what is a tight race for a Champions League spot.

Of course, the players also have to take more responsibility rather than allowing the head coach to become the punchbag. There was no urgency or bravery.

“We scored the equaliser but then it became very chaotic,” Van Dijk said. “We went back to making the wrong decisions when we had the ball.

“The spaces became massive. To then concede again with a massive deflection is very disappointing. It looked and felt very much like a basketball game in those last five to ten minutes. The fact is we lost and, in my opinion, that’s all down to us, with all due respect to Wolves.

“We come back here on Friday and we want to go far in the FA Cup. So we have to turn up with a totally different quality and different performance on the pitch.”

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