Watching Liverpool compete in the Premier League under Arne Slot has become painful.
Jamie Carragher is now concerned about his former club, who most recently suffered a 3-2 defeat against Bournemouth.
The Cherries play some nice football and have a good manager, but the fact that they were winless in 13 league games before Saturday cannot be ignored.
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Liverpool have now gone five matches without a Premier League win, and their season, on that front at least, seems pretty much over.
How would you feel if Slot sent this XI out against Qarabag?
Four changes from Saturday…
Liverpool Predicted XI vs Qarabag
Liverpool Predicted XI vs Qarabag
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Hugo Ekitike decision made Arne Slot’s plan clear
But it doesn’t appear as though success in the league is the 47-year-old’s focus right now.
After beating Marseille 3-0 last Wednesday, the mood around the club was improved, and a big win over a struggling Bournemouth could have given fans and players a momentum boost.
However, Slot decided that Hugo Ekitike should be benched for Cody Gakpo when his side travelled to the South Coast.
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The Dutchman cited the need to manage Ekitike’s minutes as the reason for this, which, to some extent, is a valid excuse.
Yet it seemed obvious that if there was a game to rest the Frenchman in, it was a home European tie against a team who have never beaten English opposition.
Will Liverpool beat Qarabag and qualify for the last-16?
The Azerbaijani's have a poor record against English teams
Qarabag players line up for a squad picture before their UEFA Champions League match against Ajax at Tofiq Bahramov Stadium (Credit: Getty Images/Resul Rehimov/Anadolu).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Resul Rehimov/Anadolu
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But given he replaced the only fit number nine for an away trip in the Premier League suggests the focus has now shifted towards Europe.
Liverpool have generally been better in the Champions League this season, so it’s easy to see why Slot may be putting all his eggs in that basket.
However, emerging as the top team in Europe’s premier competition is easier said than done.
How likely are Liverpool to win the Champions League?
If Liverpool win the Champions League, they will gain automatic entry into next season’s competition, so their Premier League finish will not matter.
But several teams sit ahead of the Reds as potential favourites to lift the trophy in Budapest.
According to Opta, Arsenal are most likely winners, with a 27.64% chance of clinching silverware later this year.
Bayern Munich, Manchester City and FC Barcelona then all have better chances of winning the competition, followed by fifth-favourites Liverpool (7.83%).
That could change as the season goes on, but for his own sake, Slot’s gamble will need to start paying off as soon as possible, starting with this week’s clash with Qarabag.
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