There was nothing surprising about the 4–2 defeat to Aston Villa on Friday night, the Reds imploding once again at the first sign of any trouble. A fixture that would have secured Champions League qualification with victory turned nightmarish during a chastening second half at Villa Park.
Reckless Summer Spending
However, as has been shown repeatedly at the elite level, world-class individuals don't equal success.
To fund their summer spree, the Reds were forced to part ways with some of those who helped them win the Premier League last season. On reflection, allowing Luis Díaz to leave was an unnecessary gamble, while even fringe figures like Jarell Quansah and Darwin Núñez have left voids that went unfilled. Trent Alexander-Arnold's sparkle has been dearly missed.
Mohamed Salah's Drop Off
Salah was due an off year, but there can be no excuses for those around him failing to pick up the slack.
The Reds have now conceded 52 league goals after the Villa demolition, which is more than they have allowed in any other 38-game Premier League season. In all competitions, they have let in 77, which is the second-most they have conceded in the Premier League era.
Alisson's injury issues have created problems. Ibrahima Konaté has been a shell of his former self amid exit rumors. Virgil van Dijk's slump has been staggering. Milos Kerkez has struggled to find his feet. Right back has been a problem position all term through a mixture of injuries and underperforming personnel.
Slot Has Been Unable to Remedy Emerging Issues
Notably, individuals have regressed under Slot. Only Dominik Szoboszlai is enjoying a superior season to 2024–25, with Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo, Konaté and Salah's standards having all dropped significantly. Slot has been unable to halt their declines, or raise the level of those around them.