Introduction
Liverpool is going through an unusual low: three matches without a win and a feeling of tactical fumbles when approaching Sunday’s clash with Manchester United. In a televised sequence, a consultant (United supporter but “football lover”) and a Reds fan, Peter Bolster, drew up a contrasting state of play: the quality is there, but the settings of Arne Slot and the shape of several executives question.
Development
At Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace, the evening presented as a turning point highlighted Arne Slot’s tries. Conor Bradley came off on the break, Dominik Szoboszlai slipped right-sided before returning to the middle after Jeremie Frimpong entered. These permutations, added to the strong choice to dismiss Florian Wirtz during the following match, fuel a central question: does the manager already know his reference XI?
Individually, the picture is nuanced. Cody Gakpo often brings him off the bench, Alexander Isak has not yet found his cruising speed, and Alexis Mac Allister is not at his best. Emblematic case, Mohamed Salah: praised last season to the point that some wanted it “extended for life”, the Egyptian is going through a vacuum passage. The consultant tells of having found him “little concerned” against Palace, embarrassed by the duo Tyrick Mitchell – Marc Guéhi. Should it be replaced, however? For Peter Bolster, the question does not hold: “Who to put on the right in his place? “he recalls, stressing that he is systematically caught in pairs, sometimes in threes, and that the main problem is elsewhere.
Precisely, the structural imbalance is returning in all mouths. On the right, the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold deprives the team of its signature ball exit; hence the idea of using Szoboszlai to distribute from the last curtain. On the left, Milos Kerkez is struggling to settle in, Luis Díaz has missed in sequences, and Mac Allister has chained average performances: so many elements that cut the usual connections. Ibrahima Konaté is also listed for a season short. On the market, Marc Guéhi was targeted but the deal did not lead to the final day, which leaves the impression of being an attacker and a central defender “short” compared to the ideal.
However, no catastrophism: Liverpool is still 2ᵉ and remains a contender for the title. Observers welcome the stature of Arne Slot, “champion from his first season”, and believe that the quality will eventually take over once the positions are stabilized and the individual forms return. The invited fan also insists on Isak: a single achievement in nine club appearances + selection, yes, but a physical increase in power to be judged “in the coming weeks”, with an Anfield audience “traditionally protective of the number 9”.
Finally, it’s time for Sunday’s game. The consultant, despite her Mancunian heart, dreads Anfield: “We never like to go there”, conceding a gap in current level. Peter Bolster hits the nail on the head: “The gap is colossal”, and sets the roadmap: control from end to end rather than looking for a cardboard box. His prognosis: 2-0 to restart the machine. On the United side, we cling to the eternal unpredictability of the classic … while admitting that the signals are not green.
Conclusion
Liverpool is experiencing a bad spell more than a crisis: discussed in-game choices, inside managers and broken automatisms explain the decline in speed more than the intrinsic value of a “top, top” squad. The appointment against Manchester United is timely: a controlled victory would restore confidence and clarify hierarchies (right-back, role of Szoboszlai, animation to free Salah). It’s up to Arne Slot to freeze a team skeleton and revive its leaders; it’s up to the collective to regain control and continuity. The title is not played in October, but the impression left on Sunday will tell a lot about the trajectory of the Reds in the coming weeks.
