Liverpool were aiming to make it 14 games unbeaten when they met Bournemouth in a Premier League fixture on Saturday.
A 3-0 win over Marseille earlier this week should have given fans much hope going into this clash.
Arne Slot has bemoaned having to face a low block many times this season, suggesting it’s a reason for Liverpool struggling.
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However, Bournemouth, like Marseille, prefer a high press, which should have played into the Reds’ hands.
Who was Liverpool’s worst player as they fell to a pathetic loss against Bournemouth?
Mohamed Salah chases the ball during Liverpool's Premier League match against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium
Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images
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Liverpool began the tie with the majority of the possession but thanks to a Virgil van Dijk error and the failure to replace the injured Joe Gomez, Bournemouth were 2-0 up after 33 minutes.
A nightmare scenario, but Van Dijk did pull a goal back shortly before the break.
Dominik Szoboszlai then stepped up once again to score another great free-kick with around 10 minutes of normal time to play.
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But Bournemouth scored a winner in the 94th minute. Liverpool remain without a Premier League win in 2026.
Cody Gakpo is going to cause Arne Slot problems
When the team news came out at 4:15pm, Hugo Ekitike was dropped for Cody Gakpo.
The Dutchman has left Liverpool supporters unimpressed with his performances this season, but it’s so clear Slot is a huge fan.
It comes despite Gakpo having a negative impact on players like Milos Kerkez whenever he is in the eleven.
Furthermore, the desire from the Liverpool manager to keep picking his fellow countryman means it’s going to be even harder to get Alexander Isak into the eleven when he’s back from injury.
That will likely cause big issues in the frontline, not least the possibility of having to drop Mohamed Salah, which could end badly.
Mohamed Salah transfer stance clear
It has been a nervy month or so for Liverpool fans when it comes to the Egyptian.
Salah made his return off the bench against Brighton, but then swiftly left to compete at the AFCON.
Speculation around his future continued in the meantime after that interview post-Leeds United in December.
However, with the 33-year-old now starting two matches in a row upon his return, it’s clear he will not be going anywhere in the January transfer window.
FSG making a mistake
Speaking of transfers, Slot said in his pre-Bournemouth press conference that he doesn’t think Liverpool will sign anyone before the deadline on February 2.
But looking at the squad on Saturday, it’s hard to understand why such a stance is being taken by the decision makers at the club.
Liverpool had two goalkeepers on the bench, which simply isn’t needed and was only done due to the lack of depth right now.
Similarly, there were three youngsters alongside Wataru Endo, who hasn’t started a league game this season.
Not exactly an exciting sight for Slot to turn to when he’s trying to think of how to impact a game.
Jamie Carragher questioned Liverpool’s squad balance this week, and it’s easy to see why. It’s just a shame that nothing will change before the deadline in just over a week.
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