Liverpool‘s recent form is a concerning dip,but not a “crisis,” according to former captain Steven Gerrard,who emphasized the need for new manager Arne Slot to quickly identify and address the issues plaguing the team. The Reds have suffered consecutive Premier League defeats – a 3-1 loss to Arsenal and a 2-1 defeat at home to Crystal Palace – raising questions about their title aspirations after a promising start to the season.
these back-to-back losses represent Liverpool’s first league defeats under Slot, intensifying scrutiny on the Dutch manager’s early tactical decisions and team selections. The setbacks come at a crucial juncture,with Liverpool aiming to mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title and navigate a demanding schedule across multiple competitions. Gerrard’s assessment underscores the urgency for Slot to find solutions and restore confidence within the squad.
Gerrard,speaking as a pundit on Sky Sports,stated,”It’s not a crisis by any stretch of the creativity,but Arne needs to find some answers pretty quickly.” He pointed to a lack of intensity and control in midfield as key areas of concern, noting that Liverpool are currently conceding too much territory and struggling to dictate the tempo of games.
The defeat to Crystal Palace at Anfield was especially damaging,marking Liverpool’s first home league loss since October 2022 and ending a 27-game unbeaten run. Palace took the lead through Jordan Ayew, and although Liverpool equalized through Mohamed Salah, jean-Philippe mateta secured the win for the visitors with a late goal.
Slot acknowledged the team’s shortcomings after the match, stating, “We lost the game as we were not good enough in a lot of aspects of the game.” He highlighted a lack of defensive solidity and an inability to capitalize on attacking opportunities as contributing factors to the defeat.
Liverpool currently sit in fourth place in the Premier League table, two points behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur, having played one game more. Their next fixture is a Europa league clash against Union Saint-Gilloise on Thursday, followed by a league match against Brighton & hove Albion on Sunday. Slot will be under pressure to deliver a positive response in both games and begin to address the issues that have emerged in recent weeks.
