Liverpool's full-back issues, Salah slump and Wirtz worries: What Slot must fix

Liverpool's three straight defeats have cast doubt over Arne Slot's early tenure and suggest punters should be cautious backing the champions outright this Sunday. Expect a tense Anfield clash where a draw or both-teams-to-score market looks plausible given defensive frailties and attacking inconsistency.

Slot Faces Questions After Unsettling Losing Run

Three consecutive away defeats have left Arne Slot with urgent homework during the international break ahead of Manchester United's visit to Anfield. Those losses—narrow, late and against strong opposition—expose cracks in a side that relied on late winners earlier in the season and now looks susceptible to counter-attacks and individual errors.

Tactical Shifts from Opponents and Liverpool's Response

Opponents have adapted their approach since Liverpool's title-winning campaign, sometimes abandoning playing out from the back to bypass Liverpool's press. Slot admits teams are changing tactics and that Liverpool must develop answers. The change in opposition strategy is compounding the Reds’ own structural problems and has contributed to a dip in attacking output and a less assured defence.

Full-back Crisis

For the first time since 2017, neither Trent Alexander-Arnold nor Andy Robertson are Liverpool's automatic first-choice full-backs. Incoming signings and makeshift solutions have struggled for consistency. Milos Kerkez has yet to find form after his move, while right-sided options have been shuffled through injury and tactical experiments, with Dominik Szoboszlai even used as an emergency right-back.

Attacking Woes: Salah and Wirtz

Mo Salah’s headline numbers mask a deeper dip: across his last 24 games he has only four non-penalty goals. He has looked off colour in key away defeats and has had fewer influential touches in the box than last season. Meanwhile Florian Wirtz, a high-profile summer signing, has yet to register a goal or assist in nine league and Champions League appearances. He has created chances but is still integrating into Liverpool’s front line and often finds himself out of position when the team lacks midfield balance.

Squad Changes and Missing Firepower

Luis Diaz’s departure to Bayern Munich has been felt. His pressing, dribbling and attacking verve are missed down the left, and Cody Gakpo has yet to recapture last season’s form. Constant rotations and injuries—particularly to Alexis Mac Allister at times—have made it difficult for Slot to settle on a consistent starting XI.

Defensive Instability and the Need for a Plan

Liverpool conceded multiple goals more frequently on the road this season than they did during the title run. The club’s equilibrium has been disrupted by personnel changes and the experiment of playing a dedicated playmaker in advanced positions, which at times has left the back four exposed. Slot now faces the task of restoring balance, settling a preferred lineup and finding tactical solutions ahead of the high-profile clash with Manchester United.

What Slot Must Do Next

The priority is clarity: pick a best XI, stabilise the full-back positions, and decide how to deploy Wirtz without sacrificing midfield control. Re-establishing defensive organisation and getting key attackers back into form will be essential if Liverpool are to stop the slide and regain momentum.

Outlook for the Manchester United Clash

The upcoming Anfield showdown represents a crucial moment. Slot needs immediate improvements to halt the losing run and restore confidence. Given Liverpool’s current vulnerabilities, the match could be tight and cagey—making cautious betting strategies more sensible than backing a comfortable Liverpool win.

Three straight defeats for the first time in his Liverpool managerial career has left Arne Slot with plenty to ponder during the international break ahead of the visit of Manchester United to Anfield on Super Sunday.

Sky Sports