By Martin Graham
Four successive defeats, a fall to fourth in the Premier League table, and a four-point gap behind leaders Arsenal — Liverpool’s season has taken a troubling turn.
For a side that stormed to the title last year, Arne Slot’s team now looks disjointed: fragile in defense, slow in midfield, and lacking spark up front. Despite spending almost £450m on reinforcements, the Dutch manager still seems uncertain about his strongest lineup.
In the 2-1 loss to Manchester United at Anfield, high-profile additions Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, and Jeremie Frimpong — costing more than £200m combined — began on the bench. Former defender Stephen Warnock summed up the mood: “Slot has a dilemma about how to fit these players in. Sometimes the biggest names just don’t suit the team.”
Salah’s form and future
Mohamed Salah, the face of Liverpool’s attack for eight years, has endured one of his most difficult spells since arriving in 2017. After 29 league goals last season, the 33-year-old has not found the net from open play since the opening-day win over Bournemouth.
His last league goal — a penalty against Burnley on 14 September — feels distant, and Sunday’s miss in front of the Kop symbolized his struggles. Once known for his fearless runs at defenders, Salah now appears hesitant and short of confidence.
Liverpool’s slower tempo has not suited him either. He thrives on quick transitions, facing defenders directly rather than holding up the ball. With his defensive work also under scrutiny, critics like Wayne Rooney have questioned his intensity.
Slot now faces a bold decision — whether to keep faith with his longtime talisman or consider leaving him out.
Finding the right strike partnership
Alexander Isak’s £125m move was meant to strengthen Liverpool’s attack, but the Swedish forward’s start has been underwhelming. Without a goal in seven league games, he has struggled to find rhythm after missing preseason during a protracted transfer saga with Newcastle.
Meanwhile, Hugo Ekitike began brightly, scoring five in his first eight outings, but has since lost his place following a costly red card for removing his shirt in celebration. Slot criticized that “stupid” second booking and has since preferred Isak as his main striker.
Against Manchester United, Isak’s 19 touches in 71 minutes offered little threat, while substitute Federico Chiesa made more impact in half an hour, setting up the equalizer. With both main forwards yet to convince, Slot must decide whether to persist with Isak, recall Ekitike, or attempt to use them together.
Midfield creativity and the Wirtz question
Florian Wirtz’s £116m arrival from Bayer Leverkusen was supposed to add flair, yet the German playmaker has found life tough in England. Despite a full preseason, he has produced just one assist — back in the Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace.
Last season in Germany, Wirtz thrived cutting in from the left. At Liverpool, Slot has used him centrally, which has unsettled the previously solid trio of Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, and Dominik Szoboszlai.
When on the pitch, Wirtz has shown flashes of creativity, leading the league for chances created per 90 minutes among players with over 200 minutes played. But Slot has mostly turned to the old guard, leaving the expensive new signing on the bench.
Liverpool’s attacks still lack imagination — raising the question of whether Wirtz should return to the starting eleven and others be challenged to make better use of his passes.
Defensive dilemmas at full-back
Replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold, who joined Real Madrid, has proven difficult. Jeremie Frimpong, signed for £29.5m, was expected to step in but has shared minutes with Conor Bradley and even Szoboszlai, whose shift to right-back has hurt midfield balance.
That right side has become a target for opponents, with more than a third of attacks against Liverpool coming down that flank. Both Frimpong and Bradley like to surge forward, leaving gaps behind, while Salah’s limited defensive help compounds the issue.
On the opposite side, the £40m signing of Milos Kerkez has displaced Andy Robertson but struggled for defensive discipline, often leaving Virgil van Dijk exposed. Critics such as Chris Sutton have called the situation “a mess,” arguing that neither full-back position feels secure.
Central defence concerns
The instability in the full-back roles has increased the pressure on Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, who themselves have looked vulnerable. Liverpool have already conceded 11 goals in the league — compared with just three at this stage last season — and have kept only two clean sheets.
Set pieces are another issue: five goals conceded from dead balls leave them among the division’s worst. Individual mistakes have also hurt, from Konate’s errors in the opener at Bournemouth to Van Dijk’s lapse that led to United’s first goal.
Slot must urgently restore defensive cohesion to prevent further slips — or risk watching Liverpool’s season unravel even faster.
