- Liverpool suffer 2-1 loss to Brighton
- Champions League football takes its toll
- Gakpo becoming an issue
Liverpool fans have experienced a whole whirlwind of emotions across their beloved side’s last two contests in the Champions League and Premier League.
Indeed, the 4-0 win picked against Galatasaray looked as if Arne Slot and Co’s mojo was firmly back, as Anfield was roaring throughout at the majestic football on display.
In stark contrast, the action unfolding at the Amex on Saturday lunchtime was the Reds at their passive worst, as the Jekyll-and-Hyde away side collapsed to a 2-1 defeat, courtesy of a Danny Welbeck double.
Slot will be gutted that his team couldn’t follow up that memorable win over Oran Buruk’s men with another lively performance against Fabian Hurzeler’s hosts. The race to finish inside the top four looks to be slipping away from the Reds.
Here are five talking points to take away from the shambolic defeat on the South Coast, as Slot’s men tasted the bitterness of a tenth Premier League defeat.
Liverpool looked unfit after mid-week
Liverpool had to get ready for this clash on the South Coast very quickly after their confident midweek Champions League win against Galatasaray.
Only a three-day gap was afforded to Slot’s men before they were chucked back into the cauldron of the Premier League, and it was clear throughout that the relentless fixture schedule is making the Merseyside giants lethargic and tired.
Of course, Brighton were deserving of their win, but the breakneck speed at which the fixtures came around for the Reds won’t have helped their preparations.
Ekitike injury is concerning
Another bump in the road that didn’t help the Reds at the Amex was the fact that Hugo Ekitike would pull up with a worrying-looking injury after just eight minutes had been played.
It remains to be seen for how long the Frenchman will be out for, but with Cody Gakpo offering very little throughout, after the ex-Reims striker was taken off, it will be a huge concern that the 17-goal hero might be sidelined for the foreseeable future.
Alexander Isak is set to be back shortly, in a glimmer of positivity, but Liverpool won’t want to rush their record signing back, just to make up for Ekitike’s unfortunate predicament.
Van Dijk is only human
Away from issues up top, Liverpool also had to contend with Virgil Van Dijk having an extremely rare off-day on the South Coast.
Van Dijk was uncharacteristically weak when battling, as seen in Welbeck growing in confidence in attack, while he routinely mis-hit passes he would usually complete in his sleep.
At the end of the day, despite all the glowing praise that the Dutch colossus regularly receives, the 2-1 defeat reminded us all that he isn’t superhuman. Rather, he is a human, capable of errors.
Slot cannot keep persisting with Gakpo
Switching back to Liverpool’s flat attacking performance, Slot must stop persisting with Cody Gakpo if he wants to keep his Anfield employment.
It was yet another dire display from the former PSV Eindhoven man in the forward areas, as he only made 50% of his passes and successfully completed 33% of his dribbles.
With only one shot on goal all afternoon too, Slot must stop being so loyal to his fellow Dutch compatriot, with the likes of Rio Nguhoma far more deserving of senior minutes, in place of the stale number 18.
International break is well needed
The international break is sorely needed, which is an unusual statement to say aloud.
Often, the break can disrupt a team’s flow, but in Liverpool’s case, it could allow for Slot to go back to the drawing board, to try and save his team’s failing season.
Things need to change and fast, with the Premier League title winner not safe from the sack.
