Scholes dissects Liverpool's crisis, naming Kerkez.

Paul Scholes sounded the alarm about Liverpool: a run of four consecutive defeats has dragged the reigning Premier League champions down to seventh place after nine rounds, with 14 goals conceded highlighting a fragile defensive system. On the program The Good, The Bad & The Football, the Manchester United legend emphasized that the problem is systemic rather than individual fault, but also pointed out the decline of new signing Milos Kerkez and their main central defensive pairing.

The numbers expose defensive weaknesses.

• Four consecutive defeats have seen Liverpool drop to seventh place in the league table.
• 14 goals conceded in 9 rounds – a clear indication of the fragility in the defense.

Scholes claims Liverpool are experiencing structural problems:"Something is wrong at Liverpool. When you have a good squad, you try to strengthen it. But for some reason, that hasn't happened with them."

Systemic problem: When defense is no longer the cornerstone

According to Scholes, the decline wasn't just an individual's fault. He pointed out that Liverpool's defensive system was inconsistent, creating many gaps and lacking decisiveness in key positions. Under increasing pressure, these repeated mistakes were more likely to occur and be amplified.

Scholes specifically mentioned new signing Milos Kerkez – the £40 million signing – as a struggling link, and also pointed out that both Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk were not meeting the usual standards of mentality and determination:"Kerkez struggled, and I think both central defenders (Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk) did as well."

Milos Kerkez before the pressure test.

Kerkez's slow adaptation has put him under public scrutiny. According to Gary Neville, an immediate solution might be to ease the burden on the young defender: Coach Arne Slot should temporarily bench Kerkez to rebalance the defense. This recommendation aims to reduce individual pressure while allowing the coaching staff to adjust the defensive structure.

Konate – Van Dijk and the mental foundation

Scholes mentioned the psychological aspect and determination of the central defensive pairing. When the midfield and backline are out of sync, one-on-one situations, second ball challenges, or covering gaps are easily exploited. The defensive leaders regaining their form will be a prerequisite for Arne Slot's system to stabilize.

Message for Arne Slot

Scholes' core philosophy is one of "consolidation" rather than disruption: a good team needs reinforcement in the right places at the right time. For the current Liverpool team, this means prioritizing plugging defensive gaps, clarifying roles and positions, and restoring consistency in their block-based defense.

Impact on the race and immediate pressure.

Seventh place after nine rounds reflects a worrying slump. With the race still long, Liverpool's immediate task is to halt the losing streak, regain defensive organization, and stabilize results. The pressure now rests not only on Kerkez but also on the entire coaching staff to find a solution that is "easy to implement and quickly effective."

Notable statement

• "Something is wrong at Liverpool... When you have a good squad, you try to strengthen it. But for some reason, this hasn't happened with them."– Paul Scholes, The Good, The Bad & The Football.
• "Kerkez struggled, and I think both central defenders (Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk) did as well."– Paul Scholes.
• Gary Neville suggested that manager Arne Slot should temporarily bench Kerkez.

Conclude

Scholes didn't criticize individuals but pointed to the systemic root cause. With a run of four defeats, 14 goals conceded in nine rounds, and seventh place, Liverpool's top priority is restoring their defensive foundation. Immediate adjustments – particularly at left-back and in the centre-back pairing – could be key to halting the decline and getting back on track to compete.