Liverpool’s Slide Deepens: Four Straight Defeats Raise Alarming Questions for Arne Slot
Anfield, Liverpool – October 20, 2025
As Mohamed Salah slowly walked off the Anfield turf with a mixture of frustration and fatigue etched on his face, replaced by Jeremie Frimpong in the 85th minute, a deeper truth unfolded before Liverpool fans — this wasn’t just another off day. This was a moment of reckoning.
Minutes earlier, Harry Maguire had delivered the sucker punch: a looping header from Bruno Fernandes’ cross to give Manchester United their first Premier League win at Anfield in over a decade. For Liverpool, it marked something far more serious — a fourth consecutive league defeat, their worst run since 2014.
What was once dismissed as a blip now looks like something structurally flawed, with questions mounting around Arne Slot’s leadership and the performances of his underperforming stars.
⚠️ From Champions to Chaos
Slot, the architect of last season’s title-winning triumph, now finds himself presiding over a team barely recognizable from the dominant, high-octane machine of just a few months ago.
“If you lose four times in a row, you need to be concerned,” Slot admitted on Match of the Day. “It definitely does something with the team.”
Statistically, the drop-off is staggering:
| Stat (First 8 League Games) | 2024/25 Season | 2025/26 Season |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Conceded | 3 | 11 |
| Set-Piece Goals Conceded | 0 | 5 |
| Clean Sheets | 5 | 2 |
| Save Percentage | 88.5% | 57.7% |
Despite an eye-watering £450 million spent in the summer, including £116m on Florian Wirtz and £125m on Alexander Isak, the returns so far have been negligible.
Missed Chances, Misfiring Stars
Against United, Liverpool created more than enough opportunities to win. Cody Gakpo hit the post three times before finally netting a 78th-minute equalizer. Salah slashed wide from close range. Isak barely registered a touch in the box. And yet, in a fixture where they dominated for long spells, Liverpool emerged with nothing.
Frimpong’s brief cameo showed more intent than Salah managed all game, while Hugo Ekitike, off the bench, offered greater urgency than the more expensive Isak.
Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock was candid on BBC 5 Live:
“Frimpong had more influence in 10 minutes than Salah did all game. Ekitike did more in one half than Isak has done in weeks.”
Fragile Foundations
Defensively, Liverpool now look porous. Milos Kerkez struggled again, nearly scoring an own goal via a bizarre rebound off his face. They conceded their fifth set-piece goal of the season — a figure that was zero at the same stage last year.
The opener itself stemmed from confusion and poor communication. Alexis Mac Allister lay injured after a clash with Virgil van Dijk, yet play was allowed to continue. Bryan Mbeumo pounced, sprinting through Liverpool’s disorganized backline and slotting home. The goal encapsulated the Reds’ current vulnerability to both chaos and counter-attacks.
Big Money, Little Return
Much was expected from Slot’s marquee signings. Instead:
- Florian Wirtz has failed to break into the starting XI, often limited to late cameos.
- Alexander Isak has been alarmingly ineffective, struggling for movement and chemistry.
- Giorgi Mamardashvili, deputizing in goal, has been inconsistent despite early promise.
It’s a worrying trend for a club that broke spending records just months ago. For all the technical talent injected, the cohesion and structure that defined last season are sorely lacking.
Slipping in the Table
With this defeat, Liverpool slip to fourth in the table, now four points behind leaders Arsenal. What’s more alarming is the psychological damage. Next up? A crucial Champions League clash against Eintracht Frankfurt — a match that could hand the club five straight defeats for the first time since 1953.
Slot insists the team must “stick together”, but with performances and body language trending in the wrong direction, urgency is building.
“It’s an interesting time now,” said Van Dijk.
“When things get tough, it is important we keep the mentality of being there for each other.”
What’s Next for Liverpool?
Liverpool’s squad is still packed with elite players. And Arne Slot remains a tactician capable of turning things around. But time is ticking.
The challenge ahead is not just tactical — it’s mental. Rediscovering confidence, belief, and unity may prove harder than any transfer fix.
Next Fixtures:
- Eintracht Frankfurt (UCL) – Must-win for morale and progression.
- Aston Villa (PL) – High-pressure game away from home.
- Leeds United (PL) – A potential banana skin if form doesn’t improve.
The questions are growing louder. The answers must come fast.
