Liverpool Football Club is going through a rough patch. Tough luck on Man City as they prepare for their league visit of Chelsea on Saturday. Now one of their most important players, goalkeeper Alisson Becker has gone down with an injury. After suffering an injury in Liverpool’s shocking Champions League loss to Galatasaray, he’ll likely miss several upcoming matches. The Reds certainly felt the absence of forward Hugo Ekitike in their scoreless defeat to Crystal Palace. His absence provided further obstacles on what was sure to be a difficult path.
That way Alisson limped off the pitch during the first half of RB Leipzig’s Champions League match. Due to that, Liverpool were forced to sub in Giorgi Mamardashvili, who finished out the last 46 minutes. Coach Arne Slot confirmed that Alisson is “definitely not going to play on Saturday,” indicating a significant blow to the team’s defensive capabilities.
Hugo Ekitike, who limped off less than 20 minutes into the match against Crystal Palace, would be a key absence for Liverpool to capitalize on. His inability to do more put the strain on the team to build enough momentum. They ended up losing the competition by a slim margin because of it.
Players Struggling with Form
Liverpool’s pains don’t stop at injuries, as new striker Alexander Isak has failed to hit the ground running. He has only managed to score once in five matches, leaving fans and management concerned about his form.
Salah — Mohamed Salah’s been a head-scratcher, too. As he looks nothing like the fruitful Salah of last season. All of these things have placed an incredible burden on Liverpool’s makeshift front line. They are keen to make up for their recent near misses.
We’ll see how he is for the weekend,” Slot said, suggesting there was a lack of clear information about his squad’s fitness in the lead-up to that pivotal meeting with Chelsea.
Defensive Concerns and Tactical Missteps
The defensive unit, specifically Ibrahima Konate, has faced serious backlash after an abysmal showing in Turkey. His biggest error came when he gifted Tottenham a chance with a ‘hospital’ pass to fellow CB Ryan Gravenberch. This almost allowed Galatasaray to punish the mistake and add a second goal.
Further, Dominik Szoboszlai received scapegoating criticism for his involvement in the loss of a penalty kick during the game. He clocked Baris Alper Yilmaz across the face with his arm. It was this dubious in-play foul that caused an unfortunate penalty call that would eventually decide the game.
“It’s a big frustration because we lost 1-0 because of a penalty and I’m not sure it’s a penalty,” said Konate, emphasizing the team’s discontent regarding officiating decisions.
Managerial Frustrations
Manager Arne Slot made no secret of his displeasure at the execution and the tactical approach employed by his side in both encounters. He had particularly strong criticism for Galatasaray for what he viewed as extreme time-wasting practices during the second half. He noted that there was so little real playing time.
When he sprinted back, he felt something. Slot’s comments on the fitness of Alisson spoke volumes, piling pressure upon an already stretched squad. He indicated that Galatasaray effectively turned what should have been a minor incident into a significant one: “We are a bit outsmarted in situations like this – they made a 20 percent penalty a 100 percent penalty.”
As Liverpool gear up to host Chelsea, doubt takes hold of the squad and whether they can bounce back from this cluster of unfortunate injuries. Their next match is their most important opportunity to earn any remaining points. It’s equally important for restoring the mojo of a team that has been through the wringer over a devilish 2022 campaign.
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