What Liverpool faced at full-time should spark change as Arne Slot problem clear
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A journalist with over a decade's worth of experience, he has worked at the ECHO since 2016.If three defeats on the spin was just a bad week at the office for Arne Slot before the international break, the sight of Manchester United's players celebrating a first Anfield win for nine years with their fans at full-time was the moment it became a crisis. It's what kept the focus absolute as the club closed in on the Premier League title last time out and it's why there has been no sense behind the scenes that a difficult run is getting to anyone.Maybe, though, it’s time to show the hurt?
They might prefer sifting through the wreckage to nail down just what is going wrong presently.It’s the first time in 11 years the Reds have lost four in a row and seven of 12 games this season, inclusive of the Community Shield, have seen Liverpool ship two goals. The control that characterised last season's title stroll has been totally lost in the shuffle of the summer.On the one hand, Wednesday at least offers Liverpool a chance to quickly get this out of their system but, in truth, losing to United at Anfield takes longer to shake off.
It's the first time it's happened since a Wayne Rooney winner for Louis van Gaal's team when Jurgen Klopp was only a few months into his near-nine-year tenure.The Reds have had the lion’s share of the memorable moments in that time but this was the day when they had to take their medicine.United's lead came inside two minutes when Virgil van Dijk, distracted by a clattered Alexis Mac Allister - who caught an elbow to the head in a sandwich with Bryan Mbuemo - was out of position to allow the forward to drift inside the box and finish past Giorgi Mamardashvili, who should have done better.It was United's first shot on target and another example of Liverpool's unfortunate habit of giving up goals far too easily. They are not the only three below their usual standards, either.Florian Wirtz was bright and inventive following his introduction and it was he and fellow substitute Federico Chiesa who combined to put it on a plate for Cody Gakpo, who hit the woodwork three times, to make it 1-1 as the game edged to the final 10 minutes.The problem for Slot is his repeated attempts to grab an equaliser in games where they trail has seen him throw the kitchen sink at it only to be caught cold each time.Liverpool’s league defeats to Crystal Palace, Chelsea and now here have all seen late winners from the opposition, which have largely come about thanks to a disjointed and unbalanced team having too many attackers out there in search of a late goal themselves.In a way, it’s admirable and shows a commitment towards late and decisive contributions and a belief they can be achieved.