Liverpool's 0-3 defeat to Man City reveals 11 problems under Arne Slot.
Following the 0-3 defeat, Liverpool have 18 points from 11 rounds, 8 points behind Arsenal. Wirtz (116 million) and Isak (125 million) have yet to integrate; injuries, set pieces, and pressing have all contributed to the decline.
A week after rekindling hopes with two wins against Real Madrid and Aston Villa, Liverpool suffered a shock 0-3 defeat to Manchester City. After 11 Premier League rounds, Arne Slot's team has only 18 points, 8 points behind Arsenal, and is displaying the worst defensive form since Leicester City in 2016.
The bigger picture after the 0-3 defeat at Etihad
The comprehensive defeat against Man City shattered a brief period of resurgence. The problems that had been brewing since the beginning of the season were exposed: expensive new signings haven't integrated, the pressing structure has deteriorated, set pieces are vulnerable, and squad depth has been depleted by injuries.
11 problems dragging Liverpool down
1. Florian Wirtz – £116 million but has yet to integrate.
Expected to make up for the lack of creativity left by Trent Alexander-Arnold's move to Real Madrid, Wirtz has yet to score or provide an assist in the Premier League. Slot has tried him in the number 10 role and then on the wing, only showing fleeting moments of brilliance in the Champions League. “He needs time,” Slot said, “and his teammates need time to understand him too.”
2. Steady or rotating – the spring is running low.
Slot only made 15 changes to the squad in the Premier League – the sixth lowest in the league. Keeping the same lineup after wins against Aston Villa and Real Madrid exhausted key players, contributing to the heavy defeat against Man City.
3. Ibrahima Konate – mistakes under pressure and lack of cover.
Once a key player alongside Van Dijk, Konate has been consistently making mistakes this season. At the Etihad, he was thoroughly exploited by Erling Haaland, making errors that led to a penalty and the opening goal. The defense is also thin: Joe Gomez is the only reliable backup center-back with Giovanni Leoni injured and Marc Guehi not arriving this summer.
4. Alexander Isak – the £125 million blockbuster that hasn't materialized yet.
Joining at the last minute, Isak has only played 429 minutes and scored one goal in the League Cup. A groin injury has kept him out of the last five matches; when he does play, Isak often looks out of place in the attacking structure. Slot hopes that after the international break, the striker will truly integrate into the team.
5. A slow start can lead to failure.
Liverpool have yet to win a point after falling behind in the Premier League this season, a stark contrast to last season when they were masters of comebacks. Every time they concede first, Slot's team loses a significant amount of morale and organization.
6. Injury storm
Alisson has suffered another hamstring injury – his fifth in three years. Giovanni Leoni has a torn anterior cruciate ligament, Isak and Mac Allister are experiencing fitness issues, and Jeremie Frimpong has suffered two injuries in just three months. The rotational options are therefore further limited.
7. Set-piece defense is fragile.
Liverpool have conceded six goals from set pieces – the worst record in the league – despite having a dedicated set-piece specialist. They are vulnerable to corners, long throw-ins, and free kicks. Only Van Dijk and Konate are physically fit enough for aerial duels, while Darwin Nunez – who was effective at defending corners – has left the team.
8. Lack of depth in the wings
Selling Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich left Liverpool with only Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo as true wingers. Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike aren't the type to dribble one-on-one, leaving the team lacking a key attacking threat. Without Diaz, the direct counter-attacking option – once a sharp weapon – has also diminished.
9. Mohamed Salah – declining performance, gaps in defense.
Slot wants Salah to focus his energy on attacking and minimize his defensive contributions. But when he doesn't score, his defensive shortcomings become even more apparent. Chelsea and Man City have repeatedly exploited the space left by Salah on the right wing.
10. Pressing loses intensity.
After losing Diaz and changing Dominik Szoboszlai's role, Liverpool could no longer maintain the same intensity of pressing. The number of ball recoveries in the opponent's third dropped from 4.4 to 3.8 per game; goals scored from pressing – as against Brentford or Aston Villa – became rare. Slot is still struggling to rediscover the "gegenpressing" structure.
11. The grief over the loss of Diogo Jota
The tragic death of Diogo Jota and his brother that summer created a huge emotional shock. The Anfield dressing room was heavy with grief, and that impact was evident in the team's focus and handling of moments, although they avoided mentioning it to avoid being seen as making excuses.
Impact on the race and the problem for Slot
With 18 points from 11 rounds and an 8-point gap to Arsenal, Liverpool are paying the price for disjointed tactical approaches and a lack of cohesion in their personnel. Slot's challenge is to simultaneously achieve two goals: integrate the new signings into their proper roles, while also restoring the pressing and set-piece structure – the foundations that once defined the team.
