With fixtures against bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers and newly-promoted Leeds United forthcoming in the Premier League for Liverpool, Arne Slot's side have a stellar chance to end 2025 on a high.
It's been an immensely challenging season for the champions, who have struggled for form after a difficult summer.
However, Slot's side are unbeaten in six and are tentatively making headway. Results are improving, but performance levels still leave plenty to be desired.
arne-slot
It's clear that the Anfield side are tactically imbalanced, and with the January transfer window looming large, sporting director Richard Hughes is getting ready to chase down targets across a number of different positions.
Liverpool looking at Premier League midfielder
Defensively, Liverpool have been shambolic this season. There have also been clear weaknesses across the final third, with the decision against directly replacing Luis Diaz after his summer sale to Bayern Munich one which has taken a chunk from the Reds' offensive sharpness and dynamism.
Antoine Semenyo, Bournemouth star, has been identified as the perfect - and belated - successor.
According to Sky Sports, Liverpool chiefs are prepared to accelerate transfer plans this winter against the grey backdrop of Slot's campaign, and while there's been plenty of noise regarding attacking and defensive thirds, a centre-midfielder is coveted too.
And at the top of the list is Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson, though suitors will have to play to the tune of £100m if they wish to prise him away from the City Ground in 2026.
Elliot Anderson for Nottingham Forest-1
TEAMtalk have revealed that Anderson is on FSG's radar, but the England international is also being linked with moves to Manchester United and Newcastle United, so it's unclear which way the saga is leaning at this stage.
How Anderson compares to Mac Allister
It's been quite the journey for Anderson since being discarded by Newcastle in 2024, with the 23-year-old now a fully-fledged England international and regarded as one of the best midfielders in English football.
He has played every minute of Nottingham Forest's Premier League campaign, bringing a matchless blend of energy and physicality and technical sharpness to Sean Dyche's system as it looks to reclaim the old form of Nuno Espirito Santo, whose bad-blooded departure sent the project in a spin.
Anderson, however, has invariably impressed, and it's no surprise that so many of the Premier League's top outfits are keen on lifting him to the next level in his promising career. Liverpool are no different, especially when the likes of Alexis Mac Allister have been so horribly out of sorts.
Arne Slot and Alexis Mac Allister for Liverpool
Mac Allister, 26, has been one of Liverpool's leading men since joining from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2023, still jubiliant from his important part in winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina.
But the all-action midfielder seems a shadow of himself, stiff and lacking the substance and style that have been staples of his rich time on Merseyside.
The statistics, moreover, are not in his favour, especially when collated with Anderson's performances in the Premier League this season.
Premier League 25/26 - Mac Allister vs Anderson
Stats (*per game)
Matches (starts)
Goals
Assists
Touches*
Accurate passes*
Chances created*
Succ. dribbles*
Ball recoveries*
Tackles + interceptions*
Duels (won)*
Data via Sofascore
Hailed as a "do-it-all midfield warrior" by Como scout Ben Mattinson, there's no question that Anderson would add flair and flavour to Liverpool's flagging midfield.
He would rekindle the fire in the engine room, and while Slot and FSG and all of a Liverpool persuasion will be confident that Mac Allister will return to form again, Liverpool are looking to sign a new midfielder, and there are few better than Anderson right now.
Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo Related
[Slot's best move yet: Liverpool want to sign PL "monster" alongside Semenyo](https://www.footballfancast.com/iverpool-ready-to-seal-marc-guehi-alongside-semenyo/ "Slot's best move yet: Liverpool want to sign PL "monster" alongside Semenyo")
Liverpool are prepared for another flurry of activity in the January transfer market.