Shaky Liverpool miss Alexander-Arnold's impetus amid slump

Arne Slot is struggling to find the right balance after big changes over the summer, not least the full-back's exit

- Jonathan Wilson

It's not a crisis, not yet, but Liverpool's run of three defeats in a row is reason to take stock.

It's true that the two league games in that run were both lost via last-minute winners, and that in isolation these three games could be explained away relatively easily. But context matters, and the truth is that while Liverpool won their first five league games of the season, they did not play well in them.

New players are struggling to settle and Arne Slot's rejig of the formation has not really worked, while a number of regulars look out of sorts. Last season Liverpool won the league playing extremely controlled football, making 2-0 almost a trademark scoreline, establishing their lead and then running the clock down. This season there has been none of that, no sense of playing within themselves. They've been open through midfield and most of their wins have come through late goals. There's been a wildness to them, almost as though Slot is going through his transition a season late.