Liverpool Faces Historic Struggles in Title Defense

omidbasir- Liverpool has invested £450 million in new signings this summer to reinforce their status as England’s premier football club, following their 20th league championship last season. However, after 12 tumultuous games in their title defense, Arne Slot’s team is on track to record the worst performance by a defending champion in Premier League history.

Initially praised as the ideal successor to Jürgen Klopp, Slot has faced an entirely different set of challenges this season. The 47-year-old manager is struggling significantly, with the team at risk of making an unwanted mark in football history.

Mohamed Salah has seen a decline in his scoring abilities, while high-profile summer acquisitions Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz—each costing over £100 million—have yet to deliver. Meanwhile, Ibrahima Konaté’s poor form has contributed to a defensive crisis, leading the team to concede more goals than they have scored in the league.

The aura of invincibility surrounding the defending champions has been shattered, even at their home ground, Anfield. A 3-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest marked the first time since 1965 that Liverpool has suffered back-to-back league losses by three goals. This defeat was their sixth in seven league games, a streak that has seen them plummet from the top of the table to 11th place.

Only José Mourinho’s Chelsea, during their title defense in 2014-15, have recorded a worse start, with seven losses in the first 12 games. That dismal performance resulted in Mourinho’s dismissal just seven months after leading Chelsea to their third title.

Blackburn Rovers (1994-95 champions) and Leicester City (2015-16 champions) are the only other teams to experience six defeats in their first twelve games as defending champions. Blackburn recovered to finish seventh the following season, whereas Leicester, after parting ways with title-winning coach Claudio Ranieri in February 2017, ended the season in 12th place—the lowest finish for a Premier League champion, two spots below Chelsea’s finish the previous year.

Are Liverpool on a trajectory toward a similarly disappointing finish? Or can Slot halt the decline and steer his team back toward success this season?

Despite the current struggles, there are signs that Liverpool could emerge from this losing streak and potentially secure a top-four finish. However, if football were that straightforward, the aforementioned Chelsea, Blackburn, and Leicester teams would not have experienced such a swift decline. The pressure is mounting on Slot to rectify the situation promptly.

“Of course there is a way out, especially with the quality players we have,” Slot remarked after the defeat to Forest. “But I want to emphasize that I am responsible for the current losses. You are accountable in both victories and defeats. I cannot come up with enough excuses for our results, which are far from good enough. I take full responsibility for that.”

Captain Virgil van Dijk offered a more incisive critique of the team’s shortcomings, suggesting that players must share the responsibility and questioning whether all teammates are fully committed to the team’s success. “As the champions, we cannot find ourselves in this situation, but it is a fact. What are we going to do about it? We must strive to turn things around, and that mentality is essential. Everyone needs to take responsibility, but are they doing so? I’m not sure. But that is what is required.”

Slot faces numerous problems, but the challenge lies in knowing where to begin, especially as some issues lack clear solutions. In defense, alongside Van Dijk, Konaté’s form has been disappointing, and he has no viable alternative. The failure to finalize a deadline-day transfer for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi is now a notable regret for Liverpool.

Additionally, Giovanni Leoni, the 18-year-old backup option signed from Parma, is out for the season due to a cruciate ligament injury. The decline in Konaté’s form has adversely affected Van Dijk, compounded by the lengthy absence of goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who returned to action for the first time since September 30 during the match against Forest.

At left-back, Slot has mistakenly taken too long to recognize that Milos Kerkez is too inexperienced to replace Andy Robertson. Simultaneously, the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid is felt weekly at right-back, where Liverpool has often had to deploy midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai.

With a defense now characterized by inconsistency, Liverpool’s midfielders are struggling to meet the demands placed upon them, particularly when Wirtz is on the field. The German international has yet to register a goal or assist in 11 Premier League appearances, with only two assists in four UEFA Champions League matches. He has consistently failed to cope with the league’s pace and physicality, a weakness that opponents have begun to exploit.

Up front, the situation is equally grim, marking a significant failure for Slot and his squad given the depth of available talent. Isak has yet to find the net in the league since his arrival from Newcastle, and his work rate is causing noticeable frustration among Liverpool supporters. Meanwhile, Salah, last season’s Footballer of the Year, appears to be performing as though he regrets not moving on during the summer, despite signing a new two-year contract. Hugo Ekitike, who was seen as a bright spot in the summer transfer window, has only one goal in nine appearances and has not scored in the league for over two months.

Salah’s upcoming departure to the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt next month could provide an opportunity for Slot, perhaps allowing him to utilize Isak, Wirtz, and Ekitike in positions that allow them to shine. However, none have shown signs of readiness to seize that opportunity effectively.

It now falls on Slot to navigate the team out of its current predicament and ensure that Liverpool does not conclude this season as the worst defending champions in Premier League history.