Danny Murphy spots Liverpool worry as Reds consistently out-run by rivals

Liverpool has been out-run by its opponent in 27 of its 31 Premier League games this season, but ex-player Danny Murphy is not worried by the distance covered statistics

Danny Murphy feels poor team organization is a big reason for Liverpool's struggles in the Premier League(Image: Getty Images)

Danny Murphy isn't worried by Liverpool consistently being out-run by its Premier League rivals.

However, the 2001 cup-winning legend is troubled by his belief that the Reds aren't covering enough ground in their matches. Liverpool clinched the title in Arne Slot's inaugural season at the helm and, after five consecutive victories to kick off the 2025-26 campaign, appeared well-positioned to retain its crown. But a 2-1 loss at Crystal Palace on September 27 triggered a string of results that effectively dashed the team's hopes of securing the top spot for the second year in a row.

Although the Reds' form has picked up since that run of nine losses in 12 games across all competitions, from the last-minute defeat at Selhurst Park to the 4-1 drubbing by PSV in the Champions League at Anfield, they entered the international break following three Premier League games without a win.

After a 2-1 defeat to bottom-of-the-table Wolves, Slot's team had to settle for a 1-1 draw at home against crisis-stricken Tottenham before suffering a 2-1 loss at Brighton.

These outcomes have left Liverpool trailing leader Arsenal by 21 points and desperately clinging to fifth place, likely the final Champions League qualification spot, with Merseyside rival Everton just three points adrift in eighth. The reasons behind the Reds' Premier League difficulties are numerous and remain under scrutiny from fans and analysts alike.

Following the defeat to Brighton, it emerged that this marked the 27th occasion in 31 matches where the Reds had covered less distance than their opponents.

Liverpool has struggled in the Premier League this season(Image: Getty Images)

This included their prior league encounter against Tottenham, who ran 8.67km further as Spurs mounted a comeback to secure a draw at Anfield the previous week.

Murphy isn't particularly troubled by these figures. He makes a valid argument, considering the Reds placed 16th in the distance covered rankings last season while claiming the English top-flight crown for a record-equalling 20th time.

That said, the 49-year-old, who helped Liverpool secure FA Cup and UEFA Cup triumphs 25 years ago, isn't entirely comfortable with what he's observing.

"I'm not a big fan of distance running stats," Murphy told the Liverpool ECHO via CasinoHawks. "I think running stats are useful for tracking individual or team levels over a period of 10 to 12 games, as that gives a better indicator. A team could win 4-0 and still run less than their opponents; there are so many caveats.

"I'm not completely against data, that would be ridiculous, (but) high intensity is a better measure than distance covered. Are the players running with intensity when they work with the ball and without the ball? That's probably a better indicator for me.

"The fact that Tottenham might run more than Liverpool in their match because they don't have the ball and are trying to defend and dig in wouldn't concern me at all. However, the actual physicality of Liverpool late in games is a concern.

"Running stats might show you've covered a lot of ground, but you might not be doing it in the right way, at the right time, or with the right intensity. For Liverpool in the latter stages of games, there is a disorganization that creates big spaces.

"The players are running, but they can't cover the ground because the distances are too big due to poor team organization."