Liverpool manager Arne Slot saw his team selection leaked ahead of Sunday’s match against Tottenham Hotspur – a problem which has prompted investigations at Manchester United and Chelsea before. Posts on social media platform X over the weekend claimed that Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike would be omitted for the Premier League match against Spurs at Anfield.

It was also extensively circulated that Jeremie Frimpong, Cody Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha would feature as a front three against Igor Tudor’s outfit. Those posts were validated roughly an hour before kick-off when details of Slot’s team surfaced. Slot’s starting XI had also correctly appeared online hours before Liverpool‘s team was announced.

The Dutchman’s changes did not hit the mark, however, with Dominik Szoboszlai’s first-half free-kick cancelled out by Richarlison’s 90th-minute leveller to salvage a point for relegation-battling Tottenham.

Sunday’s draw has delivered a significant setback to Liverpool’s top-four ambitions, although they remain fifth, which is expected to guarantee Champions League participation for the next campaign.

However, there will be unease on Merseyside that Slot’s team was leaked. Opponents Manchester United have frequently experienced comparable difficulties and initiated an internal probe to attempt to establish how Michael Carrick’s starting XI against Manchester City in January was disclosed online before kick-off.

Former Red Devils manager Jose Mourinho also grappled with the issue at Old Trafford and openly acknowledged it by making a remark in a press conference ahead of the 2018 FA Cup final. Ruben Amorim faced similar challenges before his dismissal in January.

Chelsea were another club to experience difficulties, with Blues head coach Liam Rosenior stating he will “get to the bottom of it” after becoming aware of potential team leaks within their squad before last week’s loss at Paris Saint-Germain.

The press obtained Chelsea’s starting XI, and it was circulating by midday last Wednesday – eight hours prior to kick-off at the Parc des Princes. Chelsea subsequently lost the first leg in Paris 5-2.

Slot has not directly commented on the team leaks, but he did concede he does not blame Liverpool supporters for expressing their frustration after his side were booed off at Anfield on Sunday.

He said: “I think it’s understandable for fans to be frustrated because it has happened so many times that they have seen the home team not picking up the points they are expecting, us conceding goals in the last minute.

“Now it is up to us to bring that frustration to Wednesday and come up with a big performance because we are all frustrated. That is completely clear. It is now up to me and the players to take that frustration to Wednesday evening and show the fans the performance and the result they deserve because they have been supportive throughout the whole season to us.

“If it happens so many times that they are frustrated in the end of the game or after the final whistle, that makes complete sense to me.”