Roy Keane has launched a scathing attack on Liverpool for what he perceives as a lack of "class" in their approach after securing the Premier League title.
The former Manchester United captain, 53, has criticised Arne Slot's decision to field fringe players in matches following their championship win.
Liverpool claimed the top-flight trophy after defeating Tottenham 5-1 in April and have since played three league fixtures against Chelsea, Arsenal and Brighton.
Despite earning a guard of honour in each of these matches, the champions have failed to win any of the games, picking up just one point in the process.
Liverpool have picked up just one point from an available nine since they confirmed the title
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Slot did opt to rotate his squad significantly, giving many of his regular starters a rest and bringing in squad players.
This decision riled up Keane, who believes the champions should maintain higher standards despite having already secured the title.
Speaking on The Stick to Football Podcast, Keane did not hold back in his assessment of Liverpool's recent performances.
"Liverpool have switched off, they're irritating me. It doesn't matter [that they've won the league], but the fringe players and the B team are coming in, what kind of message is that?"
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Roy Keane said Liverpool are 'irritating' him
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The Irishman continued his criticism by adding: "I'm thinking, come on - show a bit of class. Salah scores a goal and he's taking pictures - the game's still on. Liven up a little bit!"
Keane's irritation specifically referenced Mohamed Salah's celebration during Liverpool's title-clinching victory over Tottenham.
When the Egyptian forward scored during the 5-1 win, he pulled out a phone and took a photo with fans while the match was still in progress.
Interestingly, Salah has not found the back of the net since that celebration, despite being within reach of breaking the Premier League record for most goal contributions in a single season.
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The forward's drought following his photo has coincided with Liverpool's more relaxed approach to their remaining fixtures.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher offered a more nuanced response to Keane's criticism, explaining his perspective on the role of fringe players in successful teams.
"I've always felt that with fringe players - and it's not a criticism - I've always felt that every great team has five or six players who, if one of those players is missing, you feel it," Carragher said on the podcast.
"Let's go with Liverpool - if the goalie [Alisson] was missing, you'd feel it. [Virgil] Van Dijk, [Alexis] Mac Allister, [Mo] Salah - the rest around them are all good players, but they can't cope on their own, they need the good players."
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Roy Keane was particularly irritated by Mo Salah's picture with the fans during his celebration
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Carragher pointed to Liverpool's recent defensive performance as evidence: "You've seen Liverpool's centre-backs last night [against Brighton] without van Dijk.
"That's not a criticism - you go through every great team, there's not 11 world-class players in a team."
Liverpool's players have been making the most of their title celebrations with several high-profile excursions. Following their 2-2 draw with Arsenal, many squad members jetted off to Dubai.
Social media videos showed several first-team players enjoying the luxurious Atlantis The Royal hotel, described as "the most ultra-luxury experiential resort in the world".
The ninth-best hotel globally offers rooms ranging from the "modest" Royal Club King at £840 per night to the extravagant £25,092 Panoramic Penthouse.
The Liverpool stars were also filmed enjoying themselves on a yacht, with captain Virgil van Dijk, goalkeeper Alisson Becker, Kostas Tsimikas, Joe Gomez and Diogo Jota seen feasting around a large table laden with delicacies.
These lavish celebrations have continued as the team winds down their season after securing the title.
While the Liverpool players were enjoying Dubai, manager Arne Slot opted for Ibiza to celebrate his title triumph, with the Dutchman being spotted at O Beach with Wayne Lineker.
Slot received a champion's welcome as Queen's "We Are the Champions" played while he entered the venue. A group of women held up cards spelling out "Champions!" to mark his arrival.
After their loss at Brighton on Monday, Slot was also seen enjoying a Bruce Springsteen concert in Manchester.
This casual approach to pre-match preparation represents another example of the celebratory mood within the Liverpool camp since securing the Premier League title.
The incident adds weight to Keane's criticism about Liverpool's players switching off after their domestic triumph, with standards potentially slipping in the final matches of the season.
Liverpool had lost just two of their 34 Premier League games before securing the title, but they have lost two in three since then.
The champions have now lost as many league games this season as Arsenal, who are 12 points behind them.
