Reds Win but Issues Remain

After their 2-1 EFL Cup win over Southampton on the 23rd of September, the defending Premier League champions had opened their 2025/26 season with seven consecutive wins. These victories had been spread over three competitions, and some Reds were already dreaming of a possible quadruple.

In addition to their fine start, the Merseyside outfit had enjoyed what seemed like a spectacular transfer window. They had spent almost £450m, bringing in Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, and a number of other top players.

Given they had won the Premier League at a canter last term, lots of Liverpool fans felt that the title was effectively theirs before the mid-point of autumn. At that early stage, the narrative was that the team had not even hit top form yet. They had relied on several late goals to pinch points, winning all but one of their matches by a single goal. At that moment, people were trotting out clichés about Slot’s troops doing what champions do and finding a way to win even when not at their best. Just imagine how good they will be when the new signings settle and they hit top gear.

Flurry of Defeats Changes the Narrative

Liverpool first suffered defeat in a tough game away at then-unbeaten Crystal Palace. The Eagles had already beaten the Reds in the Community Shield (on penalties). They then backed that up with a deserved 2-1 win at Selhurst in the EPL.

The current champions equalised in the 87th minute. Given the number of late goals they had scored that season, most fans and experts no doubt expected them to go on and win again. However, in the 97th minute, Eddie Nketiah condemned Slot and co to their first defeat of the competitive season.

Liverpool had 72% possession, but conceded a massive 2.92 xG and seven big chances. They looked very open at the back, as they had for much of the season, but this time they were unable to outscore their opponents.

A trip to Galatasaray in the Champions League followed. Istanbul is always a tough place to visit. However, with the gulf in class and financial resources between the teams, the visitors were fully expected to win. It was not to be. The Turks scored an early penalty and held on to win 1-0. Liverpool bossed possession and shots. They also had superior xG. But, worrying for their supporters, several decent chances were created against them.

Strange New World for Slot

Slot had never lost three games in a row in his whole managerial career. That changed when his side went down 2-1 away at Chelsea. Again, they conceded early, but they got it back to 1-1 through Cody Gakpo. However, a 96th-minute goal for the hosts turned a blip into a mini-crisis.

The Reds were probably helped by the international break that followed their hat-trick of defeats. The first game back was at home against Man United. It seemed the perfect clash in which to bounce back, fired up and playing a side they have thrashed several times in recent years.

However, history repeated itself as Liverpool went behind after just two minutes. Gakpo then equalised, but Harry Maguire made it four defeats in a row for Slot with a late header. Mo Salah was, as he has been for much of the season, very poor. And again, the Reds could not convert possession dominance into a win. Generally, they were the better side, but once more they conceded an alarming number of clear-cut chances.

Liverpool finally stopped the rot with a convincing win against Frankfurt in the Champions League. They dominated, despite yet again going behind, and won 5-1 in the end. It should be noted, however, that the German side are down in seventh in the Bundesliga. Moreover, they lost their previous CL clash 5-1 against Atletico Madrid. One good result does not mean that everything is okay at Anfield. It will be interesting to see what happens in their next clash, away at Brentford.

Major Issues for Slot to Fix

Despite the win in Germany, Liverpool’s Dutch boss has a number of glaring issues that need immediate attention. Arsenal and Man City are looking very good, and he cannot afford to let his side slip too far behind.

More Required from Mo

Perhaps the simplest explanation for Liverpool’s woes this term is the output they are getting from Salah. He played every match in the PL last term, bagging 29 goals and 18 assists. This term, he has scored just twice (one penalty) and provided two assists from eight games. Does Slot need to tweak the system? Is this a short-term dip? Or is the Egyptian great simply past it? He was dropped, or rested, against Frankfurt, only playing the final 16 minutes. What impact will that have? And does he face a battle for his place in the team now?

Get it Right

Right-back is a big issue. Conor Bradley is raw and lacks the attacking composure and skill of Trent Alexander-Arnold. Jeremie Frimpong, a big-money summer signing, isn’t trusted by Slot to defend. And incredibly, world-class midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has frequently been deployed in the position but simply is not a right-back. Frimpong started in the CL win but picked up an injury. He is expected to be out for a few weeks, so that might force Slot’s hand to a degree.

The Case for the Defence

The defensive issues do not stop on the right. Milos Kerkez is underperforming on the left and looks suspect defensively. Virgil van Dijk is not the player he was. Injuries and the failure to land Marc Guehi have left the Reds short in the centre. But more than any of that, Slot’s back five are not getting much help from the six largely attacking players in front of them. They have the sixth-worst xGA stats in the Premier League, and that has to improve.

Slot Needs Stability and Signings to Settle

The manager does not know his best side, with right-back the clearest indication of that. However, he is yet to settle on his midfield or on how best to use Ekitike, Salah, and Isak in attack. Let alone the struggling Wirtz. The new additions have yet to prove their worth, with Kerkez probably the best of a bad bunch on that front.

Isak has the excuse of having missed pre-season, but that won’t wash for long. However, Wirtz and Frimpong need to show they can cut it in the Premier League. And Slot must find a way to bring it all together and get the best out of this very expensively assembled squad, which is yet to look like a team. Like Frimpong, Isak picked up an injury against Eintracht Frankfurt, so that will further delay the integration of that duo into the side. Much work lies ahead for Slot.