If Liverpool‘s slim derby victory over Everton final week had some supporters reaching for the champagne, earlier than Sunday’s shock 3-2 defeat away to Fulham within the Premier League ensured that, for now, it stays firmly on ice.
Although second-placed Arsenal‘s drab 1-1 draw with Everton on Saturday diminished the affect of Liverpool’s second league defeat of the season, the error-strewn show at Craven Cottage served as a sobering reminder that, whereas the runaway leaders have one hand on the trophy, there may be nonetheless work to do.
Arne Slot’s aspect are 11 factors clear on the summit and, with simply seven video games left to play, it could take an unprecedented collapse for them to give up the title from right here. However whereas it is testomony to the power of Liverpool’s total physique of labor that they boast such a commanding lead, their aura of infallibility has undeniably been dented in current weeks. Sunday’s loss within the capital marked a 3rd defeat in 4 video games in all competitions.
The truth that a kind of defeats got here through a penalty shootout in opposition to a powerful Paris Saint-Germain aspect within the Champions League and one other in opposition to a Newcastle United workforce vying to finish their membership’s 70-year trophy drought within the Carabao Cup closing gives some mitigation.
Liverpool had been unfortunate in opposition to PSG and, after an energy-sapping 120 minutes, struggled to match Newcastle’s starvation and tenacity a couple of days later. In opposition to Fulham, although, Liverpool had been the architects of their very own downfall. They conceded three objectives within the house of 14 first-half minutes, after taking an early lead via Alexis Mac Allister‘s marvel strike, earlier than Luis Díaz obtained one again within the second half.
“I feel there isn’t a cause for us to be complacent,” Slot in his information convention afterward. “We’re not No. 1 in the mean time as a result of we win each sport with a margin of three or 4 objectives … That is not the way in which it’s for us, so we’re absolutely conscious of the very fact we’ve got to compete for seven extra video games.”
Slot and his gamers could also be only a handful of video games away from cementing their place within the annals of Liverpool historical past, however the coming weeks promise to be instructive, each by way of shaping the broader narrative round their marketing campaign and dictating whose place is perhaps beneath menace at Anfield subsequent season.
What’s gone mistaken?
Liverpool have had an distinctive season, however current outcomes have given credence to the view in some quarters that the workforce are removed from the completed article. After shedding only one sport in 27 in all competitions earlier than January, Slot’s aspect have been crushed six instances in 22 for the reason that flip of the 12 months, though two of these defeats (away to PSV Eindhoven within the league section of the Champions League and Tottenham Hotspur within the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinals) finally proved of little consequence.
Fatigue has been mooted as one potential cause for Liverpool’s drop-off, although Slot dismissed this suggestion after the loss at Craven Cottage. In response to Opta, solely 10 outfield gamers within the Premier League have began all 31 video games this season, three of whom play for Liverpool: Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch.
For Gravenberch, particularly, there may be some weight to the argument that an elevated workload has taken its toll in current weeks. The 22-year-old has performed 2,657 minutes within the league, greater than double the 1,120 he clocked up in 2023-24. That his midfielder deputy, Wataru Endo, has but to start out a league sport is reflective of Slot’s tendency to depend on a comparatively small crop of gamers.
Whereas it is perhaps too simplistic responsible weary legs for Liverpool’s downturn in type, a level of psychological fatigue appears to have crept in for some. In spite of everything, barring the lesser-spotted Federico Chiesa, this is identical group of gamers who noticed their season implode in spectacular vogue beneath Jurgen Klopp a 12 months in the past. Maybe a number of the calamitous particular person errors in opposition to Fulham had been born from a bout of end-of-season nerves. If that’s the case, that is one thing Slot and his gamers should nip within the bud rapidly, as they can not afford to let the ghosts of final season return to hang-out them within the coming weeks.
Additionally it is no coincidence that Liverpool’s dip has coincided with a uncommon barren spell in entrance of purpose for Salah. The Egypt worldwide has loved one of many nice particular person Premier League seasons, registering a mightily spectacular 27 objectives and 17 assists, and has contributed to a whopping 61% of Liverpool’s 72 league objectives. However he has gone with out scoring in his final 4 video games in all competitions and his final league objectives had been a brace of penalties in opposition to strugglers Southampton in early March.
Whereas Diogo Jota scored a effective winner within the Merseyside derby and Díaz was impactful in its place in opposition to Fulham, Liverpool’s attacking play is way much less convincing when Salah’s affect wanes. Slot should hope his talisman is ready to get again to his finest between now and the tip of the marketing campaign.
What do Liverpool have to do in the summertime?
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Regardless of Liverpool having dominated within the Premier League, this summer season guarantees to be one of many busiest in years at Anfield.
The primary, and maybe most essential piece of enterprise has been finished with Salah signing a brand new contract, ending a months-long saga over his future. Subsequent, Liverpool should set up the futures of their different out-of-contract stars: Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Whereas a supply has instructed ESPN that Actual Madrid are assured of touchdown Alexander-Arnold on a free switch, there stays optimism on Merseyside that Van Dijk will commit.
Assuming that is how the scenario performs out, Liverpool might want to dip into the marketplace for a right-back to offer competitors for the 21-year-old Conor Bradley. The Northern Eire worldwide has proved a succesful deputy for Alexander-Arnold since his breakthrough final season and has the standard to determine himself as Slot’s first selection. However his harm document — coupled with an absence of expertise at elite degree — means it could be a threat to not bolster that place.
On the alternative flank, the necessity to clean up at left-back is obtrusive. Andrew Robertson has been an amazing servant for the membership since becoming a member of for £8 million from Hull Metropolis in 2017, however he has struggled for type this time period. The Scotland captain’s catalogue of errors within the buildup to Fulham’s second purpose had been emblematic of his troublesome marketing campaign, whereas back-up Kostas Tsimikas isn’t seen as a long-term answer and could also be tempted to depart in quest of common minutes.
AFC Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez has been closely linked with a £40m transfer to Anfield and, at 21, aligns effectively with Liverpool’s conventional recruitment coverage of signing younger gamers who have already got a major wealth of high-level expertise. Ajax defender Jorrel Hato, 19, additionally matches that profile and is able to enjoying as each a full-back and a central defender, whereas his switch is valued at round £30m.
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On the different finish of the pitch, Liverpool’s ahead line can be in want of surgical procedure. Darwin Núñez has endured one other turbulent marketing campaign and, after three seasons at Anfield, seems to be no nearer to creating into the prolific No. 9 the membership hoped he would develop into after they spent an preliminary £64m to signal him from Benfica in the summertime of 2022.
Jota is a extra pure purpose scorer, however he too has regarded a way off his finest this season and his continued harm struggles usually depart Liverpool in want of somebody to take up the mantle as first-choice heart ahead. After all, Slot’s aspect is not going to be the one workforce out there for a striker, and the likes of Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, Napoli‘s Victor Osimhen (on mortgage at Galatasaray) and RB Leipzig‘s Benjamin Sesko will come at a premium of between £70m-£150m. However they may be capable of recoup some cash from the attainable exit of Núñez to Saudi Arabia or elsewhere.
Whereas the membership are unlikely to signal greater than three or 4 new gamers, it could be shrewd for Liverpool to recruit a midfielder to assist lighten the load on Gravenberch. And the Reds haven’t signed a center-back since Ibrahima Konaté in 2021, so may benefit from a reshuffle there too, even when Van Dijk stays on.
Contemplating this squad is more likely to be topped champions of England within the not-too-distant future, it is clear there may be nonetheless loads of room for enchancment. For now, although, Liverpool’s focus should be on returning to successful methods — beginning with this weekend’s go to of West Ham United to Anfield. Something lower than three factors in opposition to Graham Potter’s aspect and there might be issues that the Reds’ slight malaise is descending right into a mini-crisis which may depart scars that even a summer season of fine switch enterprise cannot repair.
