Three things Liverpool must accomplish during the international break

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Liverpool Football Club recently endured its toughest week yet under Arne Slot, suffering successive defeats to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray, and Chelsea — the first time the Reds have gone three matches without a point since March-April 2023.As discouraging as this stretch may feel, it’s important to keep perspective: Liverpool remain second in the Premier League table, just one point behind leaders Arsenal, and it’s still far too early to judge which squads are in a strong enough position to progress beyond the Champions League league phase.Fortunately for the club, the international break may have arrived at the perfect time, offering management a chance to assess what went wrong over the past three matches and determine how Liverpool can hit the ground running when domestic and European play resumes.So, what are three concrete steps the club can take during the international break on Merseyside while its players are away on national team duty?Galatasaray v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League | Soccrates Images/GettyImages1. Examining Arne Slot’s tacticsThere’s no question that Arne Slot has already established himself as one of English football’s brightest managers after improbably winning the Premier League in his first season in charge.

Assessing player’s minutesBeyond analyzing formations, it may also be worth examining which players are receiving too much playing time— and which ones aren’t getting enough.One area where a shakeup in playing time might be needed is on Liverpool’s wings, where both Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo have struggled to consistently generate creativity and deliver match-changing moments this season.In the Premier League, Salah (630 minutes, 4 G/A) and Gakpo (556 minutes, 4 G/A) have taken the lion’s share of minutes on Liverpool’s wings, but one player stands out as deserving far more playing time: Federico Chiesa.The Italian has been given a fraction of the minutes of his position mates, logging just over an hour of Premier League action. Mo was Liverpool’s Superman last season, changing game after game; yet given the Reds’ recent string of worrying results, I believe management should seriously consider shaking up playing time on the wings.Liverpool FC v Manchester United FC - Premier League | Carl Recine/GettyImages3.

19, and dropping points at home to a rival that Liverpool has performed well against in recent years would only heighten the tense atmosphere surrounding the club.Slot and his staff will undoubtedly be looking for the best ways to secure three points against the Red Devils, and fortunately for him, several teams have already exposed weaknesses in United’s play this season.Brentford v Manchester United - Premier League | Justin Setterfield/GettyImagesTake United’s recent 3-1 defeat to Brentford: in a vintage performance, former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, alongside Mikkel Damsgaard, dominated the midfield, controlling the tempo and disrupting United’s build-up play all game long.Fortunately, Liverpool have a midfielder capable of excelling on the ball while fulfilling defensive duties in Ryan Gravenberch, who has been one of the Reds’ standout performers this season. 6 in what promises to be one of the most important matches of the season.While questions about Salah's playing time versus Chiesa’s are still valid, they may be set aside for the Northwest Derby, given his remarkable record of 19 goals and assists against United.Ruben Amorim’s preferred 3–4–2–1 formation also leaves ample space in wide areas for opponents to create chances, and there’s little doubt that Slot will be considering how to best set up Salah to exploit this opportunity and regain confidence in the process.Liverpool have an impressive record of five wins, four draws, and one loss in their last ten Premier League meetings with United.