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Liverpool languish sixth in the Premier League after a 3-2 loss against AFC Bournemouth.
Gary Neville has scotched the idea that Liverpool are in a transition season - and the Premier League champions have gone ‘soft’ in their title defence.
The Reds find themselves sixth in the table after the 3-2 loss against AFC Bournemouth. Liverpool have not won their past five league matches, with Manchester United and Chelsea leapfrogging the current title holders after respective victories over Arsenal and Crystal Palace.
Arne Slot guided the Reds to the silverware last season in his maiden campaign as head coach. Liverpool had a significant squad overhaul in the summer, signing Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Giorgi Mamardashvili for circa £450 million, while Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarell Quansah, Caoimhin Kelleher, Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton departed.
Given the marked changes to the Liverpool dressing room, there have been some suggestions that the 2025-26 season would be more transitional. However, Neville believes that is not true.
What’s been said
Speaking onThe Gary Neville Podcast, the former Manchester United and England defender said: “I watched the Liverpool game and I always think when you win a league title that you have a lot of credit in the bank and it takes a lot to erode, it's a hard thing to do.
“Arne Slot has won that title with that group of players last season. I've heard a couple of interviews in the past week from Liverpool people, including the manager, and it was always going to be a transition season. Forget that, I'm not listening to that.
“You're £450 million spent in the summer on all those players was the season you were going to win back-to-back titles. Let's not rewrite history on what everyone was saying in the summer, including non-Liverpool people. I'm not saying Liverpool people or fans were getting carried away.
“But there was definitely a feeling Ekitike, Wirtz, Isak, Frimpong, Kerkez wasn't a transition season transfer window, it was adding to a very stable squad of champions; with the likes of Salah and Van Dijk re-signed, with the likes of Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Konate and Alisson. This wasn't a rebuild, I've heard transition mentioned a couple of times this week, I'm not hearing that at all. You can't rewrite history.”
‘Look a bit soft’
Liverpool’s loss to Bournemouth was their seventh defeat in the league this campaign. The fell two goals behind on the south coast and despite getting back into the game, the Reds conceded a 95th-minute goal when Amine Adli scrambled home from a long throw-in.
Given that Manchester United earned a 3-2 win over leaders Arsenal, Neville reckons the players at his former club may feel they can finish above Liverpool in the table.
“I have to say, the first time watching them, they looked a little bit soft,” Neville added. “Virgil van Dijk is a giant but at the end he got nudged off the ball. The [second] goal when [Joe] Gomez was off the pitch, it's soft this idea you can't defend with 10 men and the ball gets played inside Kerkez we've seen how many times this season. There's a softness to them.
“Last season, we couldn't praise you any more and for the first few months, I've been hanging back. They've had injuries, had issues, lost their directness up top quite a bit. Diogo Jota, God rest his soul, and Luis Diaz were direct players and would go for defenders. They've become a bit nice and last season they were cutting. They have lost sharpness in their attacks and have gone soft in terms of defending.
“Liverpool have got to sort themselves out because Manchester United have just gone above them. I'm not saying Manchester United will finish above them, I thought a week or two ago they wouldn't but maybe I'll be thinking that, maybe Liverpool's players and Manchester United's players will think that.”
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