Losing 0-3 to Man City, Liverpool revealed 11 problems during Arne Slot's time
After the 0-3 defeat, Liverpool has 18 points after 11 rounds, 8 points behind Arsenal. Wirtz 116 million, Isak 125 million have not integrated; injuries, dead balls and pressing have declined.
A week after rekindling hope with two wins against Real Madrid and Aston Villa, Liverpool suffered a shock 0-3 loss to Manchester City. After 11 rounds of the Premier League, Arne Slot's team has only 18 points, 8 points behind Arsenal and is showing the form of a champion with the worst defense since Leicester City in the 2016 season.
The big picture after the 0-3 loss at the Etihad
The comprehensive defeat to Man City tore apart the short-lived revival. The problems that had been brewing all season were exposed: expensive new recruits had not yet integrated, the pressing structure was declining, the dead ball was fragile and the squad depth was eroded by injuries.
11 problems that are dragging Liverpool down
1. Florian Wirtz – £116m but not integrated yet
Expected to provide creative cover for Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure to Real Madrid, Wirtz has yet to score or assist in the Premier League. Slot has tried him in the No. 10 role and then out wide, with only brief flashes of brilliance in the Champions League. “He needs time,” Slot says, “and his teammates need time to understand him.”
2. Stable or winding – the mainspring is running out
Slot made just 15 changes to his squad in the Premier League – the sixth-lowest in the division. Keeping the same line-up after wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid exhausted key players, contributing to the heavy defeat to Man City.
3. Ibrahima Konate – mistakes under pressure and lack of cover
Once a key defender alongside Van Dijk, Konate has been plagued with errors this season. At the Etihad, he was thoroughly exploited by Erling Haaland, making mistakes that led to the penalty and the opening goal. The back line is also thin: Joe Gomez is the only reliable backup centre-back with Giovanni Leoni injured and Marc Guehi unavailable in the summer.
4. Alexander Isak – the £125 million blockbuster that has not yet “exploded”
Having joined on deadline day, Isak has played just 429 minutes and scored just once in the League Cup. A groin injury has kept him out of the last five games; when he does play, Isak is often left out of the attacking setup. Slot hopes the striker will fully integrate after the international break.
5. Slow start and fragile
Liverpool have yet to win a point from a losing position in the Premier League this season, a contrast to last season when they were masters of comebacks. Every time they concede first, Slot's team loses a lot of spirit and organisation.
6. Injury storm
Alisson has a hamstring injury again – his fifth in three years. Giovanni Leoni has a torn cruciate ligament, Isak and Mac Allister are out of action, and Jeremie Frimpong has been injured twice in three months. The rotational space is further limited.
7. Defending the dead ball is fragile
They have conceded six goals from set-pieces – the worst in the league – despite having their own set-piece specialist. Liverpool are vulnerable to corners, long throw-ins and free-kicks. Only Van Dijk and Konate are physically fit enough to tackle in the air, while Darwin Nunez – who was an effective corner-stopper – has left the team.
8. Lack of depth in the wings
The sale of Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich left Liverpool with only Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo as true wingers. Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike are not dribblers 1-on-1, leaving the team lacking a penetrating spark. Without Diaz, the direct counter-attacking option – once a sharp weapon – also faded.
9. Mohamed Salah – performance drops, defense exposed
Slot wants Salah to focus his energy on attacking and limit his retreat. But when he doesn't score, his defensive limitations are even more evident. Chelsea and Man City have repeatedly exploited the space on the right flank that Salah leaves.
10. Pressing loses intensity
After losing Diaz and changing the role of Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool no longer maintained the same intensity of pressing. The number of ball recoveries in the opponent's 1/3 dropped from 4.4 to 3.8 per game; goals from pressing – like against Brentford or Aston Villa – became rare. Slot still struggled to find the "gegenpressing" structure.
11. The pain of losing Diogo Jota
The tragedy of Diogo Jota’s death along with his brother in the summer was a huge emotional blow. The Anfield dressing room was weighed down and the impact was felt in the team’s focus and handling of the moment, although they refrained from talking about it to avoid being seen as making excuses.
Impact on the race and the problem for Slot
With 18 points after 11 rounds and an 8-point gap compared to Arsenal, Liverpool is paying the price for its disjointed tactical cuts and unsynchronized personnel. The problem for Slot is to achieve two goals: to integrate the new players into their roles, while restoring the pressing structure and dead ball - the foundations that once made the team's brand.
