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MONDAY | JAN 26, 2026

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CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: Men’s doubles pair Nur Izzuddin-Goh Sze Fei, women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah and mixed double pair Toh Ee Wei-Chen Tang Jie pose with their medals on the podium after winning their respective matches in the Indonesia Masters final at Istora Senaya in Jakarta yesterday. – AFPPIC MALAYSIA BOLEH

- Story on page 31

Reds out of gas Slot says Liverpool running on empty in Bournemouth defeat

L IVERPOOL boss Arne Slot blamed fatigue for his side’s first defeat in 14 games as Bournemouth’s Amine Adli struck with virtually the last kick of the game to snatch a 3-2 win for the Cherries yester day. Slot had steadied the ship in recent months after a run of nine defeats in 12 games earlier in the campaign for the English champions. But the Reds have now failed to win in their last five Premier League games in a major dent to their hopes of Champions League qualification next season. In contrast to their domestic troubles, Liverpool took a giant step towards the Champions League last 16 with a 3-0 win in Marseille on Thursday. Slot, though, blamed the tight turnaround and his threadbare options due to a number of injuries for his side running out of steam. The visitors had fought back from 2-0 down to level with 10 minutes to go thanks to goals from Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai. But Bournemouth had missed two big chances to win the game in the closing stages even prior to Adli’s 95th minute strike. “They probably had even more chances than us (in the final 10 minutes) which shouldn’t

“He was blocked off, he was fouled but it was by his own player: Curtis Jones,” Redknapp said. “Virgil is in a decent position but as it comes in, and it’s an incredible throw, he goes to attack it. “As he goes to win it, Jones, he trips over him. Then it all becomes about Adli. He’s brilliant. He is the only one alive to the situation.” Slot was also involved in a heated interaction with the officials at fulltime, though the Dutchman later clarified that this was in regard to the amount of second half stoppage time that was given, with only four minutes added on. “For me, four minutes of added time was not enough but in the end that didn’t matter because they scored,” Slot said. “Although then we could’ve maybe had two or three minutes but this game shouldn’t have had four minutes of extra time. “There was already a freekick that took two or three minutes, there was VAR moments, there was substitutions. That’s what I said to them, that four minutes wasn’t enough. “We were down to 10 men and then they scored their second and that was the only few minutes bar from the last 10 minutes that we had some problems. But the result was another loss.” – AFP/The Independent

“I need all my players,” added Slot. “Robbo had to come in at halftime because I always knew another 90 minutes for Milos against a very intense Bournemouth side was not a possibility. “There are a lot of games to play and with the players available I have to manage that as well because the last thing we need right now is another injury.” After the match, Van Dijk voiced his frustration at not being awarded a foul in the midst of the goal-mouth scramble that led to Bournemouth’s 95th-minute winner over Liverpool. The Reds captain felt he was blocked off before Amine Adli scrambled the ball beyond Alisson and into the net, snatching all three points for the Cherries as Liverpool’s two-goal recovery went in vain. “What I felt on that pitch is that I was blocked but the referee and VAR didn’t give it,” Van Dijk told Sky Sports . “I can stand here and say it shouldn’t have been given but it was, so it is what it is.” Pundit and former Liverpool player Jamie Redknapp responded to this by highlighting that Van Dijk was actually thwarted by his teammate.

come as a complete surprise to me knowing that we’ve played two days before in Marseille. “For the last four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10 games we’ve had to play with the same players (due to) the players we had available and then sometimes a few of them could be at the end of the game a bit tired. “I think that’s what you could see at the end today as well.” Bournemouth’s second goal came while Liverpool were down to 10 men as Joe Gomez was forced off injured to further deplete Slot’s options at centreback. Midfielder Wataru Endo had to deputise at the heart of the defence with Ibrahima Konate absent on compassionate leave after the death of his father and Giovanni Leoni out for the season with a cruciate knee ligament injury. Slot introduced Andy Robertson at half-time despite speculation that the Scotland captain could join Tottenham before the end of the transfer window. Robertson has just six months left on his contract and is reportedly keen for more first team action after falling behind Milos Kerkez in the pecking order at Anfield. But Slot insisted that he needs all the bodies he can get right now.

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