Arne Slot has dismissed Jamie Carragher's scathing criticism Liverpool have become a team of individuals - but agrees with the Anfield legend his side are still not functioning properly as a unit.
The Reds suffered their latest setback of a disappointing campaign when their top-four Premier League challenge was dented by conceding a 90th-minute equaliser to draw 1-1 at home to struggling Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
It prompted strong analysis from Carragher, who highlighted what he believed were examples of the Reds not pressing as a team and proving too easy to play against.
And as Liverpool prepare to attempt a Champions League comeback against Galatasaray in their round of 16 second leg at Anfeld on Wednesday having lost 1-0 in Istanbul, Slot baulked at suggestions his players were not operating as a collective.
"I agree with a lot of things Jamie has said throughout this whole season," said the Reds boss. "This particular one, I disagree with him.
"I don’t see this after we conceded for 1-1 (against Tottenham). After so many disappointments, it would not have been strange or weird if the players had given up. But they did not.
"I can tell you, they (Tottenham) had a counter-attack where seven or eight of our players were back in our 18-yard-box and we blocked the shock and the corner led to a chance all the way on the other side for Hugo Ekitike.
"A team that has given up, a team of individuals or a team that does not work together, does not show that resilience after our 120th setback this season. That is a bit of an exaggeration but we have had many.
"I don’t know why he said it, what he meant with it, what examples he used to say this. Again, he said a lot of things throughout this season that I agree with because I see similar. It is helpful for me to not go into detail with other ones I have agreed with."
Slot, though, concurred with Carragher's assessment his revamped Liverpool team are still lacking cohesion after a campaign marred by injuries and the adaptation issues of several summer signings.
"Again we are agreeing but that comes with not playing so many times together," said the Dutchman. "It is not like we are 11 individuals, if he meant that then I completely disagree.
"If he means we are not perfectly playing together in ball possession and off the ball then he is right. That is nothing to do with an individual mentality but that the connections are not as strong yet. All these things we have to adjust to every single team. I see a team that is fighting together."
