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Cause for concern at Liverpool but not a time for meltdown with Chelsea test looming
Two successive defeats in four days will not be enough to send Liverpool supporters into meltdown.
Nevertheless, a good number will be honest enough to admit there is genuine cause for concern.
Anfield legend Jamie Carragher branded his old club “a mess” after last night’s 1-0 Champions League defeat at Galatasaray.
That felt about right. That feels about right.
Mohamed Salah started on the bench in Turkey, Florian Wirtz underwhelmed again, while Allison Becker and Hugo Ekitike went off injured.
Arne Slot’s men are wobbling alarmingly ahead of the trip to Chelsea on Saturday teatime.
Liverpool had won every game until they bumped into Crystal Palace on Saturday and Galatasaray last night.
But were they truly convincing during that run of seven straight victories which preceded last weekend’s trip to Selhurst Park? Not really.
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The warning signs were there when they needed two late goals to beat Bournemouth on the opening night of the season.
Liverpool were 2-0 up and cruising early in the second half before allowing the Cherries to come back and level matters in the final quarter.
Federico Chiesa and Salah then struck late on to seal a 4-2 win in a sign of things to come.
You can actually trace Liverpool’s defensive shortcomings back to when they drew 2-2 with Palace before losing on penalties in the Community Shield.
Ibrahima Konate’s form has been a worry all season. That cannot be denied.
After beating Bournemouth, the Reds needed a dramatic late winner from 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha to pilfer the points at Newcastle.
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That 3-2 victory again papered over the cracks, but credit to Slot’s side for beating Arsenal and Burnley 1-0 in their next two games.
That was a welcome return to the solidity of last season and on which any title challenge is founded.
In the Champions League opener at home to Atletico Madrid, Liverpool’s unwanted new habits resurfaced as they surrendered a two-goal lead before leaving it late to win again through Virgil van Dijk’s stoppage-time header.
That game saw £125million club-record signing Alexander Isak make his debut but his only goal so far in five appearances came in the Carabao Cup against Southampton.
Admittedly, Isak is still lacking match sharpness, but he has hardly hit the ground running since arriving from Newcastle. Then again, he is not the only one.
Perhaps the biggest worry for Slot, after spending close to a staggering £450million this summer, is Wirtz.
Athletic Club
The Germany international arrived from Bayern Leverkusen for a then club-record £116million and with a glowing reputation.
He was crowned the Player of the Year in Germany for 2025, but has so far struggled to adapt to English football.
Carragher, now working as a pundit, has even suggested that Slot should take the 22-year-old out of the side.
The ex-defender, speaking after last night’s defeat at Galatasaray, told CBS Sports: “Right now, the balance of the team is not right, and the obvious one that stands out is Florian Wirtz, who is just not at the races at all.
“He's a young boy, coming to a new league, and has plenty of time to go.
“But right now, he needs to come out of the team, Liverpool go back to what they were last season, and try to build some confidence and some stability. Right now it looks like a mess.”
Slot, meanwhile, has cut a hugely impressive figure since arriving at Liverpool to succeed Jurgen Klopp in the summer of 2024.
The laconic Dutchman was chiselled from a very different stone to his predecessor but both men are winners.
Klopp negotiated his way through a difficult patch during the early stages of what turned out to be a long and hugely successful reign.
Slot can do likewise, having already achieved so much in his debut campaign, but the problems are mounting.@liverpoolfc
Alisson, such a reliable figure between the posts, looks certain to miss the trip to Chelsea and Giorgi Mamardashvili is set to make his Premier League debut while Ekitike could also be absent.
The game has taken on added importance for Slot following those back-to-back losses in the past week.
Starting Salah on the bench against Galatasaray was a gamble that backfired and Alexis Mac Allister will also be pushing for a return to the starting line-up at Stamford Bridge.
For someone as calm and measured as Slot, in victory and defeat, the Liverpool manager’s mantra on Saturday evening will be simple: less chaos, more defensive stability.
A third straight defeat really would set the alarm bells ringing.
Full Champions League fixture list for Matchday Two
Tuesday 30 September
- Atalanta 2-1 Club Brugge
- Kairat 0-5 Real Madrid
- Atletico Madrid 5-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
- Bodø / Glimt 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur
- Chelsea 1-0 Benfica
- Galatasaray 1-0 Liverpool
- Inter Milan 3-0 Slavia Prague
- Marseille 4-0 Ajax
- Pafos 1-5 Bayern Munich
Wednesday 1 October
- Qarabağ vs Copenhagen
- Union Saint-Gilloise vs Newcastle United
- Arsenal vs Olympiakos
- Barcelona vs PSG
- Bayer Leverkusen vs PSV
- Borussia Dortmund vs Athletic Club
- Monaco vs Manchester City
- Napoli vs Sporting CP
- Villarreal vs Juventus
How to watch the Champions League in the U.S. on DAZN
Soccer fans in the US can watch select teams in the Champions League in Spanish language as part of their DAZN subscription package.
Between September 25 - October 3, 2025 new customers can get a 20% discount on annual subscription.
An annual upfront payment is now $179.99 reduced from $224.99, while paying monthly for 12 months is $15.99 (down from $19.99) and also provides access to 185 fight nights a year across boxing, MMA, PFL, BKFC, Glory and much more.
CBS has coverage of every Champions League match in English language this season. You can get more details and subscribe to CBS's Champions League coverage here.
Fans can watch extra Champions League games in Spanish on ViX. A selection of those matches are also available on UNIMÁS and TUDN.
How to watch the Champions League in New Zealand on DAZN
Every Champions League game during the 2025-26 season is streamed in high-definition and comes as part of a DAZN subscription.
Between September 25 - October 3, 2025 new customers can get a 20% discount on annual subscription.
An annual upfront payment is now $119.99 reduced from $149.99, while paying monthly for 12 months is $11.99 (down from $14.99) and also provides access to 185 fight nights a year across boxing, MMA, PFL, BKFC, Glory and much more.
How to watch the Champions League in Canada on DAZN
Watch every game of the Champions League this season in Canada with a DAZN subscription.
There are three subscription options, offering differing selections of sports in each. Access to every Champions League match is included in all three package offerings, ranging from $29.99 to $44.99 per month (for 12 months)
