Liverpool suffered a fourth successive Premier League defeat on Saturday and Jamie Carragher admits the Reds are in crisis as Arne Slott struggles for answers
Jamie Carragher has admitted that Liverpool are in a “crisis” after losing their fourth consecutive game against Brentford in the Premier League and falling further behind league leaders Arsenal.
The Reds’ perfect start to the season is now a distant memory and their recent reversal means their defensive problems have once again been exposed, leaving them seven points behind the Gunners. Arne Slott’s side suffered back-to-back defeats to Crystal Palace and Chelsea before the international break.
They then came back but lost to Manchester United at Anfield and then won away at Brentford, but it was a worthwhile game. The Bees took an early lead and led 2-1 at halftime. They extended their lead in the second half with a goal from Mo Salah, but West Londoners held on and won 3-2.
Liverpool were struggling and the blueprint for defeating them was clear to everyone. They are unable to deal with balls in the air, especially balls into the box, and former players admit they do not have the necessary ability to deal with it.
Carragher told Sky Sports: “Four defeats in a row would be a disaster for Brentford. To see the champions achieve that with their summer spending means we are now in a period of crisis for Liverpool.”
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“There’s going to be a lot of serious questions in the dressing room between the players and the coaching staff and people beyond the manager. They’re going to want more given the amount of money they’ve spent. Liverpool need to look at the physicality and the height in the squad because I don’t think there’s enough at the moment.”
After winning the title in the summer, Liverpool underwent a major transformation. The likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luis Dias and Darwin Nunez have all been spent over £400m on the likes of Hugo Ekitike, Alexander Isaac, Florian Wirtz and Jeremy Frimpong, but the transition has been difficult.
The slot side has lost a major element of controlling the game, and as a result, preventing runs has become a major problem. They have already conceded 14 goals and Gary Neville insists Liverpool bosses need to change something if they are to get things back on track.
“I like the coach and the way he works. He doesn’t seem to be panicking,” he said. “But he’s going to have to disrupt this. That’s the pattern they’ve been in the first two months of the season. They’ve got to narrow down the back four and be a little bit more secure in the way they play. Not too open, not too forward, but allowing the front three to win games. It’s no longer just a blip, it’s become a concern.”
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