Top 10 mistakes, missteps and errors in Liverpool’s catastrof*ck title defence

Liverpool’s Premier League campaign has descended into a startling crisis, with six defeats in their last seven matches following an encouraging five-game winning start. What began as a minor dip in form has spiraled into a full-blown collapse, exposing deep structural issues within the squad. Their recent loss to Nottingham Forest at Anfield – a match they dominated in possession yet failed to control emotionally or tactically – has become symbolic of a team trying desperately to recreate last season’s momentum but repeatedly falling short. The champions now find themselves slipping from top spot to mid-table, prompting urgent questions about leadership, squad planning, and the psychological state of the dressing room.

A key catalyst in this decline has been Liverpool’s failure to secure a centre-back in the summer, most notably their mishandled pursuit of Marc Guehi. The club appeared confident that a deal for the Crystal Palace captain would be finalised late in the window, only to leave themselves with no time to replace him when negotiations stalled. This miscalculation has proved disastrous. Ibrahima Konaté’s sharp regression and Virgil van Dijk’s diminishing athleticism at 34 have resulted in a defensive pairing that no longer inspires stability. Liverpool have already suffered more league losses than in their entire title-winning campaign and have conceded nearly half of last season’s total goals against, with only the bottom four possessing worse defensive records.

Milos Kerkez’s difficult adaptation at left-back has added further turbulence to an already fragile back line. Signed as a long-term successor to Andy Robertson, the young defender has found the intensity, spacing, and decision-making demands of Anfield football overwhelming. Van Dijk’s obvious frustration has only amplified the pressure, creating visible tension in a defensive unit already low on chemistry. Compounding matters is the Trent Alexander-Arnold saga: his desire to join Real Madrid unsettled the club more deeply than outsiders realised, leaving Liverpool struggling both tactically and psychologically without the unique creativity he offered from right-back.

In attack, Liverpool’s problems have been equally jarring. Mohamed Salah is enduring his most alarming slump since joining the club, with his output dropping and his influence fading dramatically. Without Alexander-Arnold’s service and surrounded by an evolving forward line, the once-sharp instinct and decisiveness in Salah’s play have dulled. At 33, the question of whether this is temporary loss of form or the beginning of irreversible decline grows louder each week. The £120 million signing of Alexander Isak has only intensified scrutiny. Instead of elevating the attack, his integration has disrupted rhythm, overloaded central spaces, and diverted resources from more urgent squad needs. His performances have ranged from ineffective to actively harmful, symbolising a recruitment strategy driven more by star-power than squad balance.

Ultimately, Arne Slot’s inability to stabilise the team has allowed a manageable wobble to erupt into a historic implosion. The manager’s reactive rather than proactive approach has heightened anxiety within the squad, with tactical experiments – such as forcing Dominik Szoboszlai into makeshift full-back roles – further eroding cohesion. Even Florian Wirtz, another high-profile signing, has struggled to adapt, though his difficulties are at least understandable given the upheaval surrounding him. Liverpool’s decline is not the product of one mistake but a chain of interconnected failures: poor planning, misjudged transfers, defensive deterioration, and growing psychological insecurity. Unless these issues are confronted with clarity and decisiveness, Liverpool’s title defence may go down as one of the most dramatic collapses in Premier League history.