Liverpool’s Title Defense: A Struggle for Redemption

omidbasir- Liverpool has invested £450 million in new signings this summer to solidify its status as England’s leading football club following last season’s triumph in the league. However, after 12 games of a tumultuous title defense, Arne Slot’s squad is on track to achieve the unwanted distinction of being the worst defending champions in Premier League history.

Once celebrated as the ideal successor to Jürgen Klopp, having gently transitioned Liverpool into a new era last season, Slot now confronts a drastically different set of challenges. The 47-year-old manager is struggling significantly, with his team on the verge of making historical missteps.

Mohamed Salah’s goal-scoring prowess has diminished, while high-profile summer recruits Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz—each costing over £100 million—have proven to be costly missteps. Additionally, Ibrahima Konaté has become emblematic of a defensive frailty that has seen Liverpool concede more goals than they have scored in the league.

The aura of invincibility surrounding the reigning champions has been shattered, even at Anfield. The recent 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest marked the first time since 1965 that Liverpool has lost consecutive league matches by three goals. This defeat was part of a dismal streak that saw the team lose six out of seven league games, plummeting from first to 11th place since September 27.

Only José Mourinho’s Chelsea in the 2014-15 season has had a worse start to a title defense with seven losses in their first 12 matches, a decline that ultimately led to Mourinho’s dismissal in December 2015—just seven months after securing the title for the third time.

Blackburn Rovers (1994-95) and Leicester City (2015-16) are the only other teams to have suffered six defeats in their first 12 outings as defending champions. While Blackburn managed to regroup and finish seventh in the following season, Leicester’s mid-season decision to part ways with their title-winning coach Claudio Ranieri resulted in a dismal 12th-place finish—the lowest ever for a Premier League champion.

Is Liverpool heading toward a similar fate, risking a bottom-half finish? Or can Slot steer the team back toward a path of success this season?

There are indications that Liverpool could emerge from this losing streak and aim for a top-four finish. However, if football were that straightforward, Chelsea, Blackburn, and Leicester would not have faced such precipitous declines. The pressure is mounting on Slot to reverse the current situation swiftly.

“Of course, there is a way out, especially with the quality players we have,” Slot remarked after the loss to Forest. “But I want to emphasize that I am responsible for the current losses. You are accountable when you win, and also when you lose. I cannot provide enough excuses for our results; they are far from acceptable, and I am responsible for that.”

Team captain Virgil van Dijk offered a more candid critique of their collective failings, suggesting that players need to acknowledge their share of the blame while questioning whether all teammates are doing everything possible for the team’s success.

“As champions, we cannot find ourselves in this situation, but it is a reality,” the center back noted. “What are we going to do about it? We must strive to turn it around, and that should be the mentality of everyone involved. The most crucial thing is that all players must accept responsibility. Are they doing that? I’m not sure. But it is essential.”

Slot faces numerous challenges, but the question remains: where to begin? Some of these issues lack clear solutions. Defensively, Konaté has struggled, yet Slot currently lacks viable alternatives. The failure to secure a late transfer for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi is haunting Liverpool. Moreover, the absence of backup option Giovanni Leoni, who is out for the season due to injury, complicates matters further.

Konaté’s decline in form is affecting Van Dijk, just as the extended absence of goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who returned for the match against Forest after an injury, has been a significant blow.

At left back, Slot has been slow to recognize that Milos Kerkez lacks the experience to replace Andy Robertson. Meanwhile, the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid is increasingly felt at right back, where Liverpool has often resorted to deploying midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai.

With a defense that has become inconsistent and unreliable, Liverpool’s midfielders are struggling to meet the demands placed upon them, particularly when Wirtz is included. The German international has not registered a single goal or assist in 11 Premier League appearances, despite tallying two assists in four UEFA Champions League matches. His inability to cope with the pace and physicality of the English game has become evident, with opponents exploiting his vulnerabilities.

In attack, the situation is no better, which is particularly surprising given the depth of talent available. Isak has yet to score in the league since joining from Newcastle United, and his work ethic is already drawing frustration from fans. Salah, last season’s Footballer of the Year, appears to be playing as if he regrets not seeking new opportunities in the summer instead of extending his contract. Meanwhile, Hugo Ekitike, once seen as a promising signing, has managed only one goal in nine appearances, with no Premier League goals in over two months.

Salah’s upcoming departure to the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt might provide Slot with the opportunity to field Isak, Wirtz, and Ekitike together, potentially allowing them to step up in Salah’s absence. However, none of them have yet shown the capability to rise to that challenge.

Ultimately, it falls to Slot to navigate this difficult period and ensure that Liverpool does not finish this season as the worst defending champions in Premier League history.