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A former Premier League star has slammed Liverpool boss Arne Slot for his claims that playing style is more important than winning trophies. The Reds have slipped out of the title race and face a tough test against Manchester City on Sunday in their bid to secure a Champions League place.

Liverpool were widely expected to retain the Premier League after adding almost £450million worth of new signings to their title-winning squad in the summer. After a positive start to the campaign, Slot’s side endured six defeats in seven league games, leading the manager to opt for a less free-flowing approach to help get his team’s results back on track.

The reigning champions have lost one of their last 12 league games since late November but questions have been raised about the team’s more defensive style given the money spent on the squad. The Liverpool boss has since come under scrutiny for suggesting that the way his side plays is more important than winning silverware.

Former Watford striker Troy Deeney has labelled the manager “tone deaf” for not prioritising winning trophies. The 37-year-old also claimed that the Liverpool boss is one of several Premier League bosses who attempt to deceive fans when discussing their team’s display.

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“They say it’s all about the process — aiming to get to some point in the distance over the coming years,” Deeney wrote in The Sun. “I understand what Slot is talking about, but it’s tone deaf. You can’t talk about processes when last year you won the title by TEN points — and now you are 14 behind Arsenal.

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“He could have said all this had he been in the position Klopp was when he replaced Brendan Rodgers in 2015. But title-winning managers do not get the luxury of talking about process when they’ve just won the league. That was the process.”

Deeney added: “So many coaches, not just Slot at Liverpool, now try and talk to fans, players, media, as if they are stupid. They talk about vague stats and moments when we’ve all sat and watched a shocking performance.”

While Liverpool have adopted a different style from last season, there have been signs that the Reds have rediscovered their winning formula. The team head into their clash with Manchester City following two emphatic victories over Qarabag and Newcastle United.

Despite falling out of the title race, Liverpool could still end the season with trophies as they remain in the Champions League and FA Cup. Meanwhile, Slot has subsequently explained his comments about prioritising style above claiming silverware.

“I think things go hand-in-hand, that’s also what I meant with how important playing good football is because I believe in the fact that if you don’t play good football, it’s hardly possible to win something or to achieve something sustainable,” he told Sky Sports.

“You can always be a bit lucky that you win something somewhere but you always need to play very good football, in my opinion, to win something. And it’s very important, for me but also for the club I’m working for, that the football is also of a certain level.”

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