Liverpool's hopes of retaining their Premier League title are all but over, with the team currently in 12th place with 18 points, 11 fewer than first-placed Arsenal.
Few supporters would have predicted such a disastrous campaign, especially as the club broke the British transfer record twice in one window to bring in Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.
Boss Arne Slot has been unable to address his side's issues, with the team struggling at both ends of the pitch, and the Reds' 3-0 loss against Nottingham Forest on Saturday has led some to call for the Dutchman's dismissal.
Here, Sports Mole looks at the five biggest reasons why things have gone wrong for Slot at Liverpool this season.
Alexis Mac Allister of Liverpool during his side's match against Manchester United, on October 19, 2025
Team in the top flight have resorted to increasingly direct and physical styles of play, and Liverpool have not been able to adapt to the strengths of their opponents.
Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate regularly win aerial duels, but the midfielders ahead of them have failed to collect the resulting knockdowns, leading to the side's defence facing numerous counter-attacks.
Alexis Mac Allister was arguably the best midfielder in the Premier League in 2024-25, with the Argentine's rounded skillset helping him influence play at both ends of the pitch.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion man has struggled to reach the same heights this season, and the fact he has so routinely been beaten in midfield battles has contributed to the Reds' decline.
In fact, Slot's side recovered the ball 48.9 times per game last term and won 34.2 ground duels per 90, but those stats have dropped to 43.8 and 31 respectively.
Mac Allister is not the only midfielder struggling as number six Ryan Gravenberch has looked unusually hesitant when attempting to win tackles, and perhaps it should not be a surprise that he has encountered issues given was predominantly a central midfielder prior to 2024-25.
Alexander Isak of Liverpool running in the UEFA Champions League on September 17, 2025
While it may be hard to prevent teams from playing direct, it is possible to prevent them from playing the ball into desired areas of the pitch, but they must be pressed aggressively in order to limit the danger posed from playing long.
Liverpool were famed for their front-footed approach under previous boss Jurgen Klopp, but Slot has implemented a more reserved pressing style that often sees an extra defender kept in the backline as additional security.
However, opponents have found it easy to play through the Merseysiders, while the lack of pressure up front has allowed teams to play forward to their frontline at will.
Mohamed Salah has never been an exceptional defender from on the right, but the Egyptian has consistently proven that he deserves some freedom from defensive responsibilities as he consistently produces in the final third.
Cody Gakpo, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak lack the intensity that Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz displayed when they were at the club last term, so it is not surprising that Liverpool have subsequently been linked to Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo.
Trent Alexander-Arnold of Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League match on September 16, 2025
While the Reds have been poor at pressing, they have also been poor when under pressure themselves, and it is difficult to look past the fact they have missed the presence of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The right-back was among the most creative players in the Premier League, and his immense passing range meant Liverpool were often able to bypass teams that pressed them.
Without Alexander-Arnold, there has been more emphasis on the rest of the defence and midfield on the ball, but Virgil van Dijk is the only one in that group capable of playing out from the back to an acceptable standard.
Full-backs Milos Kerkez, Andrew Robertson, Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong are not comfortable when asked to play forward, while Konate has never been a specialist progressor.
Joe Gomez could improve the team on the ball if he was to start in defence, but playing all three available centre-backs could be too risky.
4. Set pieces: Liverpool left behind in the Premier League
Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool during his side's match against Nottingham Forest, on November 22, 2025
Liverpool have conceded nine goals in the league from set pieces excluding penalties, as many as they did in the entirety of the 2024-25 campaign, with Forest scoring their opening goal from a corner.
The Reds cannot blame a lack of height on their inability to defend dead-ball situations given seven of their outfield players against Forest were at least six foot, but perhaps the lack of intensity has contributed to the team's struggles from corners and free kicks.
Though the likes of Nunez faced criticism, he could never be faulted for his work ethic and willingness to put his body on the line, something the side have missed this term.
Having said that, set-piece coach Aaron Briggs and manager Slot must bear most of the blame for Liverpool's weakness in those areas, and they must make drastic changes to the way the team defends if they are to avoid further embarrassment.
5. The impact of Diogo Jota's death
Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva have tragically passed away
While Liverpool's performances have rightly been scrutinised, it should not be forgotten that the team are dealing with the death of friend and teammate Diogo Jota, who tragically lost his life alongside his brother Andre Silva in a car accident in July.
The Portuguese should always be remembered as the human being he was before the footballer, but the loss of his ability on the pitch should not be overlooked.
It is impossible to know for certain how much of an impact the loss of Jota has had on the squad, but it is important to always give the players some leniency as each of them will be dealing with their grief in their own way.
Indeed, vice-captain Andrew Robertson recently spoke about how Jota was on his mind prior to Scotland's qualification to World Cup 2026 in the November international break, and it is clear that Liverpool's players must be given the space to come to terms with their loss.
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