Should Liverpool Begin to Panic?

This weekend's 3-0 defeat to Manchester City was Liverpool's fifth in six games.

When Liverpool sealed last season’s Premier League title with a resounding 5-1 home victory over Tottenham Hotspur—clinching the crown with four games to spare—imagining the birth of a new dynasty was easy.

Arne Slot had arrived in England with a strong reputation and quickly enhanced it. With minimal investment—limited to the signings of Giorgi Mamardashvili as a backup goalkeeper and Federico Chiesa in a supporting role—Slot led Liverpool to their second English title in thirty-five years.

Arne Slot celebrates winning last season's Premier League title.

He had seemingly taken the best elements of his predecessor’s high-pressing, “rock and roll” football, added a layer of control and stability, and in doing so, found the perfect recipe for Premier League domination.

Liverpool’s dominance last season, along with a significant summer transfer window where they spent £300 million—including a British record £125 million for Alexander Isak—led to them being almost universally favored to defend their title. Five straight wins at the start of the season did little to dampen optimism at Anfield, despite the performances being far below expectations.

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Fast forward seven weeks: since Liverpool’s victory over Everton in the Merseyside Derby, they have lost five of their last six league matches, causing them to slip from the top of the table to eighth.

What caused the sudden and dramatic derailment of the Slot express train? Is it possible to address the issue, or should Liverpool be worried about it?

The first point to make is that this decline might not be as sudden as it appears. Liverpool’s performances have been waning for some time. Even during this season’s initial five-game winning streak, none of the victories were convincing, and Liverpool could easily have dropped points in each game.

It isn’t that the performances have worsened recently; rather, the results now more accurately reflect the quality of these performances.

The good news for Liverpool fans, however, is that Slot has already identified the main underlying problems facing the team.

For many years, Liverpool’s success relied on three key players: Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Alisson Becker, who played under the management of Arne Slot and, most notably, his predecessor Jürgen Klopp. However, time seems to have taken its toll on each of these players.

Mohamed Salah remains a Premier League legend, but he is no longer the explosive game-changer he once was. His pace and directness, which were his greatest weapons, have declined. While he still delivers moments of quality, his ability to single-handedly turn matches in favor of Liverpool is fading.

At the other end of the pitch, Liverpool’s success often depended on Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker, who've been arguably the best two players in the world in their respective positions over the past decade. 

Even when Liverpool were winning major titles both at home and in Europe, there was a sense that they could be defensively exposed, particularly in the full-back areas. 

The fact that this ‘weakness’ did not hinder Liverpool's success was largely due to Van Dijk and Alisson’s ability to compensate for various defensive shortcomings. For many years, Van Dijk, in particular, seemed like an inevitable presence on the field. Van Dijk consistently showed up just in time to thwart apparent goal-scoring opportunities. 

However, while Van Dijk is still regarded as a top defender, the sense of invincibility that once surrounded him has diminished, causing teams to genuinely believe they can exploit weaknesses in Liverpool's defensive third. 

In addition, recurring injuries to Alisson have severely undermined Liverpool’s defensive strength, leading to his absence from five league games this season and ten last season.

Liverpool’s summer spending spree indicated that manager Slot recognized these defensive issues. He knew he needed new attacking options to replace Luis Díaz, who was sold to Bayern Munich, as well as Diogo Jota, who was tragically killed in a car crash during the summer, and to take some of the burden off Salah. But identifying the problem and fixing it are two different things. 

While Hugo Ekitiké has shown glimpses of potential in attack, Liverpool’s other two marquee arrivals, Isak and Florian Wirtz, have yet to reach their expected performance levels. But maybe that isn’t such a surprise.

After a protracted transfer saga, Isak arrived without match sharpness and is still working on finding his rhythm. However, given his prolific record at Newcastle over the past two seasons, it seems impossible that he won’t rediscover his goal-scoring touch soon. 

Similarly, Wirtz, a supremely talented player, needs time to adapt. In his case, he must adjust not only to a new club but also to a new league. The Premier League’s relentless pace and physicality mean that adapting to it can often be a slow process, especially for creative players like Wirtz. 

A player's career doesn't necessarily end if he or she fails to make an immediate impact in the Premier League. Despite not finalizing a deal in the summer, Guehi will likely join Liverpool either in January or next summer.

In addition, Slot clearly recognized the need to acquire a long-term replacement for Van Dijk, which is why he pursued Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi. Despite not finalizing a deal in the summer, Guehi will likely join Liverpool either in January or next summer.

Currently, Liverpool is struggling due to a less potent attack and an unsettled defense, which contribute significantly to their poor form. However, Liverpool should not panic. 

Slot remains a top-tier manager, and the squad is filled with talented players who are capable of competing with the best, as evidenced by their recent Champions League victory over Real Madrid.

Aside from the challenges of integrating new players, we cannot ignore the tragic loss of Diogo Jota in a car crash during the summer. Not only did Diogo Jota's loss weaken Liverpool on the pitch, but the emotional impact of such a devastating event is impossible to quantify and is undoubtedly a factor in the club's poor form this season.

However, Slot and Liverpool still have hope. If the new signings find their footing after Christmas, a deep run in the FA Cup and Champions League could be very possible.

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