Sports

What's Gone Wrong for Liverpool This Season?

By Ewan Ross-Murray Sports Illustrated

Updated May 16, 2026 11:23 AM

Another day, another disaster for Liverpool.

There was nothing surprising about the 4–2 defeat to Aston Villa on Friday night, the Reds imploding once again at the first sign of any trouble. A fixture that would have secured Champions League qualification with victory turned nightmarish during a chastening second half at Villa Park.

For the umpteenth time this season, Liverpool were outfought and outclassed, their flaws repeatedly exposed by a Villa team boasting the organization and commitment that last season's Premier League champions so sorely lack.

Liverpool's problems have been laid bare time and again this season, their 20th defeat marking a new dizzying low for Arne Slot and his players. Understandably furious with their side's decline, supporters are desperate for a dismal campaign to end, and they will be put out of their misery next weekend against Brentford.

But where have things gone so badly wrong for Liverpool this season?

Reckless Summer Spending

Alexander Isak became the Premier League's record signing. | Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images)

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Liverpool were heralded for ‘winning the transfer window' last summer after splashing over $600 million on new signings, and it's easy to see why such a conclusion was drawn. Top talents were recruited, Florian Wirtz and Premier League record signing Alexander Isak certainly boasting the talent and track record to inspire confidence.

However, as has been shown repeatedly at the elite level, world-class individuals don't equal success.

To fund their summer spree, the Reds were forced to part ways with some of those who helped them win the Premier League last season. On reflection, allowing Luis Díaz to leave was an unnecessary gamble, while even fringe figures likes Jarell Quansah and Darwin Núñez have left voids that went unfilled. Of course, the tragic death of Diogo Jota should not be ignored, either, while Trent Alexander-Arnold's sparkle has been sorely missed.

Liverpool moved from a well-oiled machine laced with grafters to a squad of individuals, each desperate to showcase their quality at the expense of hard work and organization. Of last summer's seven first-team additions, only Hugo Ekitiké can be considered an undisputed success. New full backs have struggled, while Wirtz and Isak have floundered.

Straying from their tried-and-tested transfer policy has backfired dramatically, and Liverpool must return to their methodical, measured approach in the market this summer.

Mohamed Salah's Drop Off

It's been a tough final season for Salah. | Ibrahim Ezzat/NurPhoto/Getty Images Ibrahim Ezzat/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Liverpool were indebted to Mohamed Salah's genius last season. Slot would not have claimed the Premier League title in his debut term without the Egyptian's relentless output. Salah produced 29 goals and 18 assists in the league alone, conjuring one of the most incredible individual campaigns in the competition's history.

Father Time has caught up with the winger this season, however, his performances and underlying numbers nosediving. Salah has managed just 13 goal involvements in the Premier League, which is 14 fewer than his next worst season with Liverpool (2020–21). A drop off was expected, but the scale of his decline few projected.

Unfortunately for Salah, those around him have failed to ease the goalscoring burden. Only Ekitiké has contributed to more Premier League goals than Salah this season, with Wirtz and Isak having only combined for a total of 12. Few have stepped up in Liverpool's time of need.

Salah was due an off year, but there can be no excuses for those around him failing to pick up the slack.

Defensive Disarray

Liverpool's defense has been dreadful this term. | Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Getty Images

Liverpool's defense has come under significant fire this season-and justifiably so.

The Reds have now conceded 52 league goals after the Villa demolition, which is more than they have allowed in any other 38-game Premier League season. In all competitions, they have let in 77, which is the second-most they have conceded in the Premier League era.

All areas of Liverpool's squad deserve scrutiny for those numbers. An attacking line that has been unwilling to press and a midfield too easily bypassed have left the defense exposed, but blame must be primarily shouldered by an abject backline.

Alisson's injury issues have created problems. Ibrahima Konaté has been a shell of his former self amid exit rumors. Virgil van Dijk's slump has been staggering. Milos Kerkez has struggled to find his feet. Right back has been a problem position all term through a mixture of injuries and underperforming personnel.

All of the above, teamed with Slot‘s inability to solidify a porous defense, mean Liverpool have simply been too weak to compete this season.

Lack of Intensity

Liverpool have been too sluggish off the ball. | Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

Jürgen Klopp's arrival at Liverpool popularized the term ‘gegenpressing' with an English audience. A system revolving around aggressive pressing designed to win the ball back swiftly and in dangerous areas, it proved an extremely effective strategy at Anfield, Klopp's team built to play at ferocious speeds in order to overwhelm opponents.

Liverpool have adopted a more measured approach under Slot, last summer's business designed to offer greater control and technical craft. Industrious characters were replaced by suave operators, but that switch has left the Reds lacking identity and, most crucially, intensity.

The Premier League punishes teams who play in second gear and fail to organize themselves, and a lack of pressure on the ball has further exposed Liverpool's soft center. Too easy to play through and lacking the physicality to combat the intensity of their opponents, it's little surprise the Reds have tasted defeat on so many occasions.

Slot's Deficiencies

Slot has been unable to remedy emerging issues. | Visionhaus/Getty Images

Patience with Slot has now entirely evaporated among Liverpool supporters. The Dutchman has spent all the credit he stored in the bank from last season's Premier League title triumph, and winning back the Anfield faithful is the toughest assignment he faces.

Liverpool's performances and results have been entirely unacceptable this season, especially after such a significant summer spend. But the problems emerged back in around February 2025, since which the Reds have been on a steady decline. Things are getting worse week after week.

Notably, individuals have regressed under Slot. Only Dominik Szoboszlai is enjoying a superior season to 2024–25, with Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo, Konaté and Salah's standards having all dropped significantly. Slot has been unable to halt their declines, or raise the level of those around them.

Failing to remedy issues has been a theme of Slot's season. Liverpool are still unable to defend set pieces, having conceded the most from such scenarios (20) in the Premier League this season, while glaring problems in every department have gone untreated. Consistently dire displays make one wonder what work is actually being done on the training ground.

Slot is not the only factor in Liverpool's atrocious campaign, but he's played an enormous part. Liverpool would be gambling with their future by retaining him for next season, especially with viable alternatives on the market.

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This story was originally published May 16, 2026 at 10:00 AM.