1 week ago
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For Liverpool, this weekend marked another significant step in the wrong direction.
Brentford supporters couldn't contain their glee as Igor Thiago confidently converted a penalty, likely dealing a critical blow to any hopes the Reds had of retaining the championship they won just six months ago. "You're getting sacked in the morning!" was the taunt from the home fans directed at Arne Slot, following his team's fourth consecutive Premier League loss, coming hot on the heels of a morale-boosting Champions League victory over Eintracht Frankfurt.
Despite leading Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th English league title last season, Slot has plenty of goodwill stored up, making it unlikely that the Anfield bosses would even consider letting him go right now.
However, there's no denying that Slot is now facing the most significant test of his tenure with the Reds.
"You cannot compare all of them (the losses), but the most concerning thing is that you lose four times in a row," Slot said after the game. "Afterwards, you can judge the performance, and today was the worst in my opinion from all the four.
While the final scoreline was as close as recent losses to Crystal Palace, Chelsea, and Manchester United, this defeat to Brentford, who flawlessly executed the well-worn strategy for beating Liverpool, was undoubtedly the most disheartening of the season.
Liverpool was its own worst enemy in this match, conceding early goals and squandering easy chances. The Reds showed little desire to capitalize on the opportunities that came their way until it was too late.
Slot, who had previously been praised for his selection gamble earlier in the week, made several missteps with his starting line-up, substitutions, and in-game changes.
Whatever the Liverpool manager decided, it simply didn't pay off.
Slot might have expected more from his senior players and perhaps a bit of luck, which seemed to favor Brentford when it was awarded the decisive penalty.
The last time the Reds lost four consecutive Premier League matches was during the 2020-21 season when they were defending champions amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
They barely managed to secure Champions League qualification on the final day of that season.
If this poor form continues, even securing a top-four finish could become a daunting task.
This performance from Liverpool is simply not up to scratch. It's far from acceptable.
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