It’s been a sobering few weeks for us, and the sight of Liverpool sitting eighth in the Premier League table at the November break has naturally raised questions but not everyone believes the situation is as bleak as it looks.
Speaking on BBC Sport, former Chelsea and Scotland winger Pat Nevin insisted that the table “does not give the entire truth”, even after Sunday’s 3–0 loss at the Etihad.
“They say the league table never lies, but that does not mean it is always easy to get the entire truth out of it,” Nevin explained.
“With second and ninth being separated by only two points, it is ridiculous to take too much out of a league position.
“Even so, Liverpool going into the international break in eighth is a bit of a shock, at least on The Kop.”
Nevin pointed to the narrow margins in the top half of the table, and the fact that Arne Slot’s reigning champions are just one win behind sixth-placed Aston Villa, as evidence that there’s no need to panic yet.
Nevin points to Liverpool’s midfield and summer rebuild
Ryan Gravenberch reacts against Manchester City
(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Still, the pundit did question whether the “planned revolution rather than evolution” of our squad this summer has momentarily unsettled things.
The 62-year-old noted that our midfield “has been made to look sluggish and lumbering,” despite being “young and vibrant”.
He warned our boss to ensure that the limp first-half display at Manchester City, where we failed to register a shot on target until the 76th minute, “does not recur”.
That point ties in with what Nevin said last month about our defensive structure, when he warned on BBC Sport that Liverpool’s “makeshift solution at right-back needs fixing” – that now seems to be sorted but Jeremy Doku caused plenty of problems for Conor Bradley on Sunday.
It also echoes his earlier concern following the Galatasaray defeat, when he said our Champions League loss “could have been worse” due to sloppiness in possession – issues we’re still seeing.
Liverpool’s challenge now clear
Arne Slot reacts against Manchester City
(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Nevin’s latest comments suggest belief in the process, even if the results haven’t matched expectations.
As we head into the break eight points behind Arsenal, the message is simple: stay calm, fix the balance, and let the football do the talking.
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