£36m Liverpool star is becoming a “serious issue” for Slot

First, there was one blot on Arne Slot’s second-season copybook. Then two, then three, then 4. Now, Liverpool are in a disaster, having misplaced 5 of their previous six matches within the Premier League.

There may be nothing damning about shedding to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester Metropolis on the Etihad Stadium, however because the Sky Sports activities pundits rightly identified after the Reds’ 3-0 defeat, they lacked even the essential bones of an anticipated efficiency, and to say they toiled could be far too suggestive of any sort of work-rate.

This title defence is shortly changing into a muddy footslog for Slot’s aspect, who path and have solely the vestiges of final season’s fluency and coherence throughout the park.

To think about Slot’s aspect as title challengers at this second of time could be deceitful. Not solely are Liverpool eight factors adrift of Arsenal on the summit, however they’re so far-off tactically that it is merely unfathomable to think about a string of the unimaginable kind we’ve got been witness to over the previous decade.

It is troublesome to single out a single defining negativity at Liverpool, however Florian Wirtz has been the loudest speaking level after his £116m switch from Bayer Leverkusen in June.

Why Florian Wirtz is struggling at Liverpool

There are arguably been an uptick in Wirtz’s performances over the previous a number of weeks. Definitely, the German worldwide excelled through the win over Actual Madrid after racking up two assists towards Eintracht Frankfurt through the earlier Champions League matchweek.

However, as with the remainder of Slot’s Redmen, that good work has been undone by a wretched show at Man Metropolis, with the guests completely outplayed by their rivals.

Wirtz wasn’t the worst participant on the pitch, and within the first half, particularly, he was brilliant, drawing fouls and catching the attention with fleet-footed bursts.

However it wasn’t sufficient, and the 22-year-old was swallowed up together with the remainder of his aspect, failing to create an opportunity till he was hooked for Federico Chiesa late on, having pale after the interval.

That is hardly an Anfield aspect whose stability – or lack thereof – would permit a younger playmaker to dovetail proper in, however Wirtz has nonetheless acquired to account for his struggles, having now gone 11 matches within the Premier League with out a single aim involvement.

And but, he was considered “a very generational expertise” for his efforts in his homeland, as was stated by sports activities media skilled Cristian Nyari after Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen stormed their solution to an invincible Bundesliga title, Wirtz topped the division’s Participant of the Yr.

Hope and expectation stay that he’ll come good. Nevertheless, long-term hope is fading concerning a extra established a part of the Liverpool squad. For this participant, there’s a rising sense that it could be higher to half methods with him in 2026.

Liverpool’s “severe, significant issue”

Slot has various issues to wrestle with throughout the third worldwide break of the season, and on the prime of his pile of worries has acquired to be the type of Ibrahima Konate in defence.

Konate, 26, has been among the many most regarding starters in Liverpool’s line-up this season, possibly even the worst of a nasty bunch.

Konate’s time on Merseyside has been outlined by ups and downs. He has struggled with accidents at totally different factors since signing for the membership in 2021, leaving RB Leipzig after his £36m launch clause was activated.

There is not any query that he’s a top-class defender, so robust and highly effective and convincing as Van Dijk’s associate. More often than not, that’s. Not now.

Konate, a Premier League title winner, is changing into a big fear. Liverpool should not have the depth in central defence to drop him, and but, on present kind, he absolutely can’t be allowed to play, as he’s a risk to Liverpool’s personal efficiency. Pep knew this on Sunday and focused him, evidenced by Konate’s 88 touches in comparison with solely 58 from the skipper.

And although he was largely imperious final season, the Frenchman has plummeted because the summer season, and he may need hit the nadir towards Man Metropolis.

After the sport, Sky Sports activities’ Dougie Critchley took to social media to label Konate “a severe, significant issue” for the struggling Premier League champions, together with his errors and unconvincing shows now frequent signs of Liverpool’s wider decline.

With Virgil van Dijk now 34 years previous, there’s a actual conundrum for sporting director Richard Hughes to chew on going ahead, particularly as Joe Gomez is clearly untrusted as a centre-half by Slot and summer season recruit Giovanni Leoni is out for the marketing campaign with an ACL damage.

Konate, in any case, is out of a deal subsequent summer season, with Actual Madrid on the prime of his record of suitors. Given the star’s kind this season, although, it would not be shocking if FSG felt they need to half methods with the defender.

Given the quantity of strain pushed towards the France worldwide, it is curious that he didn’t make an interception and even try a deal with towards Metropolis’s rampant forwards.

The Liverpool Echo had been unimpressed, handing Konate a match-low 4/10 rating and commenting on his faults for the penalty, saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili, and Erling Haaland’s opening aim.

What do to about this quandary is as much as Hughes and Slot and FSG, however the followers are getting fed up, and Konate might be taking part in himself right into a gap.