Arne Slot showed 'STRONG management' with Jarell Quansah substitution

Liverpool’s new head coach, Arne Slot, has been praised for his assertive management during the club’s 2-0 victory over Ipswich on Saturday in the Premier League opener.

Goals from Diogo Jota, operating centrally, and Mohamed Salah sealed the win during a particularly impressive second half at Portman Road.

However, one moment in particular caught the eye of pundits speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club: Slot’s bold decision to substitute young defender Jarell Quansah at half time, a move seen as a statement of intent early in his tenure.

Konate made the difference

Speaking after the game about his decision to introduce Ibrahima Konate, Slot told TNT Sports: "The first thing I said [at half-time] is that we don't need to speak about tactics if you lose so many duels."

"And that's what we did, not that Jarell [Quansah] lost every duel - many of us lost too many duels but I think we needed Konate to win these long balls through the air from their no.9."

Konate's aerial prowess helped to remove the hosts' out ball and helped the Reds to put in a much more impressive second-half performance.

Slot sent a 'clear message'

Former England international Izzy Christiansen was the first on the aforementioned podcast to comment on the substitution, noting that Slot sent "a clear message" with the change.

Chris Sutton, the former Premier League striker, added: "I really like Arne Slot for making that decision - if he wasn't happy with Quansah, he's quite within his rights to show strong management and make a point."

Sutton acknowledged that while the substitution could impact Quansah, he also believed it was crucial for Slot to establish high standards.

“From Quansah's perspective, he'll be disappointed in himself, but he'll have to work his way back and make sure he's strong enough in those one-versus-one situations,” Sutton explained.

Regardless, it will be interesting to see who partners captain Virgil van Dijk at the back for the visit of Brentford on Sunday.