Liverpool hardly laid a glove on Manchester City during their 3-0 defeat.
As has already been said many times this season, the international break had probably come at a good time for the Reds following more disappointment in the league.
They were brushed aside by Man City at the Etihad, with this now their fifth loss in the Premier League already.
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Arne Slot has a lot of things to sort out, again, and this time, he really needs to make sure the issues are dealt with or else his job could be on the line.
It is not that bad just yet, however, although Roy Keane, as always, has given a very honest verdict on Liverpool’s situation.
A dejected Arne Slot manager / head coach of Liverpool at full time during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool at Etihad Stadium
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Roy Keane believes Liverpool are in a crisis
Liverpool’s form had been pretty abysmal in recent weeks, but back-to-back wins gave fans belief again that they were getting back on track.
However, the performance against Man City has turned that optimism back into pessimism, with Liverpool, by far, the worst team and deserving losers.
Things certainly need to change if they stand any chance of retaining their title, although Keane thinks that dream is already over and that they are in a moment of ‘crisis’.
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“You can’t be considering Liverpool for the title. That was a sore defeat,” he said on Sky Sports.
“It has to be a crisis for a club like Liverpool. City looked stronger and technically a lot better.
“I thought Liverpool looked like a really weak team today. There was a lack of intensity, a lack of energy. The subs, when they came on, looked really soft.
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“The manager said he was pleased with the second half, but the game was over! It’s easy to play well when you’re not playing for anything.
“It’s definitely crisis time for Liverpool.”
Liverpool need to get things right over the international break
Fans mostly despise the international break, but this one might just prove vital for the Reds, especially as it is the last one until March.
Although the main aim is to ensure all players return fit and healthy, Slot will need to do a lot of thinking about how to put things right when they come back.
Where he starts is as good a guess as any, but against Man City, the intensity just was not there, with the players looking leggy.
With seven losses in their last 10, Liverpool might just be going through a crisis, but with so many games left, there is plenty of time to turn things around.