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Liverpool’s recent struggles are escalating into a significant crisis as manager Arne Slot desperately searches for solutions after the Premier League champions endured their fourth consecutive loss, a feat not seen in over a decade.
The Reds fell 2-1 to Manchester United on Sunday, marking the first victory for their fierce rivals at Anfield since January 2016.
Liverpool benefited from a fortunate seven-game winning streak at the beginning of the season, powered by several last-minute goals, but the expected improvement in performances has not happened. Now, they have faced four straight defeats across all competitions for the first time since November 2014, during Brendan Rodgers’ tenure as manager.
Mohamed Salah appears to be a shadow of his former self, the player who once tormented defenders on his way to winning the Premier League’s Golden Boot last season.
The “Egyptian King,” frequently the centrepiece of Liverpool’s offensive efforts, has netted only one goal from open play in the Premier League this season, which came in the season’s opening match. On Sunday, he squandered two significant opportunities against United.
Recently, he was omitted from the starting lineup in the Champions League loss at Galatasaray and was notably substituted on Sunday despite Liverpool’s pursuit of an equaliser.
Slot will hope this is merely a temporary dip in form for a player who re-signed for two additional years in April, although there are growing concerns that, at 33, his peak years may be behind him.
Slot invested heavily during the summer transfer window, exceeding $450 million ($604 million) on new players. The club set new transfer records twice to sign playmaker Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen and forward Alexander Isak from Newcastle. However, neither player has yet scored a goal in the Premier League.
Hugo Ekitike, another pricey addition, has made an impact but now seems to be behind the struggling Isak in the hierarchy.
Liverpool’s significant expenditure on forwards was partly influenced by the tragic death of Diogo Jota in a car accident last July. His absence looms large at a club still grappling with the loss of the 28-year-old Portugal international.
On the defensive end, new signing Milos Kerkez has struggled to adapt at left-back, where he has been favoured over veteran Andy Robertson, while Jeremie Frimpong has not secured his position on the opposite flank.
Might Liverpool’s failure to sign central defender Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace on transfer deadline day be what costs them the Premier League title?
Since early May, Liverpool has conceded two or more goals in more Premier League contests than any other team, doing so in eight of their 12 league matches.
Slot’s side has allowed 11 goals in their eight league games, in stark contrast to the three goals conceded by Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Kerkez and Frimpong have struggled to meet the standards set by Robertson and the departed Trent Alexander-Arnold in the full-back roles.
Centre-back Ibrahima Konate has faced ongoing criticism for his lacklustre performances, and even the usually formidable captain Virgil van Dijk was caught out during the build-up to Bryan Mbeumo’s opening goal on Sunday.
Guehi has informed Crystal Palace that he will not extend his contract, indicating he might depart in January or at the season’s conclusion.
However, even if the England defender opts for Liverpool over other interested clubs, it may ultimately be too late.
