Liverpool Face Leadership and Tactical Crisis

Liverpool have slumped from title contenders into a damaging run of form, losing five of their last six matches and suffering four successive Premier League defeats that have left them seventh with 15 points after a 3-2 loss at Brentford. Manager Arne Slot has admitted he lacks answers to teams using long-ball, low-block tactics — a vulnerability Brentford exploited with long throws and an emphasis on long passes. His public explanations and selection decisions, including frequently benching Hugo Ekitike in favour of Alexander Isak, have drawn criticism from figures such as Ruud Gullit. Former defender Jamie Carragher called it 'crisis time', and captain Andy Robertson and others have pointed to a lack of structure, cohesion and physicality. Wayne Rooney and other pundits have highlighted a leadership vacuum, flagging Mohamed Salah's dip in form and questions over Virgil van Dijk's influence despite both signing contract extensions, prompting urgent internal scrutiny to halt the slide.