Crisis at Anfield: £450m squad in chaos as Liverpool suffer 4 straight losses
What started as a Premier League "blip" for Arne Slot's defending champions has devolved into a full-blown crisis, with Liverpool suffering four successive defeats—their worst run since 2014. The alarming slump was crystallized when an out-of-form Mohamed Salah was controversially substituted moments after Manchester United scored the winner in a 2-1 defeat, highlighting deeper tactical and confidence issues within a squad that saw nearly £450 million in investment this season.
The sight of Mohamed Salah—the usually untouchable 'Egyptian King'—trudging off the pitch as Liverpool desperately searched for an equalizer against Manchester United was the defining image of a club in sudden turmoil. Substituted for Jeremie Frimpong just after Harry Maguire headed United's 84th-minute winner, Salah's removal symbolized how quickly the high standards set under head coach Arne Slot have disintegrated.
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This 2-1 loss to rivals United marks Liverpool’s fourth successive defeat, a sequence they haven't endured since 2014 under Brendan Rodgers. Slot acknowledged the severity of the situation: "If you lose four times in a row, you need to be concerned... Losing four times in a row definitely does something with the team." The team now faces the grim prospect of a fifth straight loss—something Liverpool hasn't suffered since September 1953—when they face Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Misfiring superstars and tactical chaos
The current crisis is startling, given that Slot was backed with a transfer budget of nearly £450 million after securing the title last season. However, the returns from record signings have been minimal. Florian Wirtz (£116m) and Alexander Isak (£125m) have failed to deliver, with their combined £241 million contribution described by analysts as "non-existent" so far. Isak was anonymous again, while Wirtz remained a late substitute.
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On top of the misfiring new stars, established players are struggling:
- Salah appears short of form and confidence, extending his run without scoring a non-penalty goal to seven games.
- Liverpool’s defense now leaks goals, having conceded five from set pieces in eight league games this season, compared to zero at the start of last season.
- The team has lost the "calm laced with deadly threat" that defined their title run, replaced by an air of chaos and disorganization.
Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock pointed out the substitution dynamics: "Frimpong comes on down the right and has more of an influence in 10 minutes or so than Salah in most of the game... Ekitike did more when he came on up top than Isak did too."
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The lack of defensive organization was evident on United's first goal, scored by Bryam Mbeumo, which came during a passage of play where Alexis Mac Allister was prone with a head injury, and captain Virgil van Dijk was slow to react and recover his position.
Dropping to fourth in the table, four points behind leaders Arsenal, Slot now faces the crucial task of curing these fundamental flaws while simultaneously getting his high-priced, underperforming superstars back into form.
"It's an interesting time now, we have to stick together," said a resolute Van Dijk after the defeat. "We need to stay humble and stay working. It is a long season."
