Jamie Carragher has highlighted the Liverpool squad's weakness across the season as the Red's failed to secure Champions League football against Aston Villa
Will Jenkins
08:02, 16 May 2026
Jamie Carragher was disappointed with Liverpool's performance against Aston Villa
Jamie Carragher was disappointed with Liverpool's performance against Aston Villa(Image: James Gill - Danehouse, Getty Images)
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher believes Arne Slot's squad's 'weakness' has been an issue since the first game of the season, as the Reds suffered a 4-2 defeat away to Aston Villa on Friday night.
Liverpool's clash against Unai Emery's Villa gave Slot's team an opportunity to secure Champions League football ahead of the final game of the season. Although Virgil van Dijk headed two past Emi Martinez, it was Villa who ran rampant, scoring four goals and securing their place in Europe's top competition next season.
Despite Liverpool having the majority of possession, Emery's squad dominated across the field. Ollie Watkins caused centre-backs Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate issues all night, with the striker earning a brace for his efforts.
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Liverpool have now conceded 52 goals in the league this campaign, a new record for the club in a 38-game season. Ex-Liverpool defender Carragher has put this down to the team's fragility - a problem that hasn't been fixed since the first game back in August.
Commentating on Sky Sports, Carragher said: "This has been happening since the first day of the season on a Friday night against Bournemouth.
"Liverpool are far too weak - physically and mentally - and it has to be fixed. It looks like Arne Slot is going to be the man who has to fix it next season.
"But this result does nothing in terms of the feelings of the supporters around his position right now. Liverpool don't excel at anything. They look like a really, really average team. They have been taken to the cleaners."
Slot's side had managed to get away with a frail defence earlier in the season, having picked up five wins in their first five games. However, as the season trundled on, it seemed opposition sides had caught onto Liverpool's brittle back line.
Liverpool have since gone from looking like they could win back-to-back titles to possibly going into the final game of the season needing a result just to secure Champions League football.
Ollie Watkins netted twice against Liverpool
Ollie Watkins netted twice against Liverpool(Image: Getty)
The Anfield faithful will have one eye on Bournemouth and Brighton's remaining matches. If results don't go Liverpool's way, including in the final game of the season, they could finish as low as seventh.
Although Liverpool's season has been under scrutiny by both pundits and fans, a fifth-place finish would still keep them in the pinnacle of European football. But with their performances this season, Carragher can't understand how they are still in fifth.
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He continued: "I can't actually believe that Liverpool are fifth in the league. You think about the number of goals they've conceded, they never look threatening going forward, and that away record - and Liverpool are fifth in the Premier League? Wow."
Liverpool's final game will be against Brentford at Anfield. Keith Andrews' team are bound to come out all guns blazing, with a first-ever European finish on the line for the west London club.
That match will also be the final game Mohamed Salah will play for Liverpool. The question mark hovering around Liverpool Football Club is whether it will be Slot's final appearance too.