Liverpool’s season is spiraling into a crisis as manager Arne Slot grapples with a fourth consecutive defeat across all competitions, a streak unseen since November 2014. The latest blow was a 2-1 loss to Manchester United at Anfield, marking United’s first victory there since January 2016. Despite an early seven-game winning run driven by late goals, Liverpool’s expected improvement has stalled.
Mohamed Salah, last season’s Premier League Golden Boot winner, has struggled, scoring just one open-play goal this season and missing key chances against United. At 33, his guaranteed starting spot is questioned, with former player Jamie Carragher suggesting he should not start every game, especially away, given his current form.
Summer signings costing over $450 million, including record-breakers Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, have yet to score in the Premier League. Hugo Ekitike has shown promise but trails Isak in the pecking order, while the absence of Diogo Jota, killed in a July car crash, looms large. Defensively, new full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong have struggled to replace Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, and centre-back Ibrahima Konate has faced criticism.
Even captain Virgil van Dijk faltered in the United loss. Liverpool’s defense has conceded two or more goals in eight of their last 12 league games, compared to Arsenal’s three. The failure to sign Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi may prove costly, with his potential transfer delayed until January or later.
