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Last season, Liverpool were on the brink of history. The Reds came agonizingly close to completing a historic quadruple, with fans holding their breath until the very week of the campaign to see if their team could do the unthinkable.
Unfortunately for them, Jurgen Klopp's side only managed to win the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup. They lost the race to the PL title in heartbreaking fashion and lost the UCL final to Real Madrid. Despite that, they showed the world what they were capable of.
When the new season started, everyone expected them to compete for titles once again, but in reality, they have been far from their usual selves. They are currently languishing in 10th place with two league wins in three months. But what are the reasons behind their unexpected struggles?
Let's have a look:
Key reasons behind Liverpool's decline this season
Injuries
Every club will suffer injuries at some point in a season. But Liverpool have not recovered from their injury setbacks. Ibrahima Konate, Virgil Van Dijk, Diogo Jota, Jordan Henderson, Luis Diaz and Thiago have all suffered injuries at various points this season.
Their replacements have simply not been good enough. Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, who have stalwarts in Liverpool's defence in recent years, have been extremely poor. Their last league win was back in December. This shows that Jurgen Klopp's side simply don't have the squad depth to compete with other teams.
Key players out of form
Liverpool have always relied on their key players to deliver in important moments. But this season, their usual stars like Mohammed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil Van Dijk, Andy Robertson and Fabinho have all struggled for form. They have been far from their usual selves and haven't played up to standards. This has been a major reason for worry for Kopites and Klopp.
Previous season hangover
Playing at the very top isn't very easy. This can take a toll on a player's performance. This seems to be the case for Liverpool this season. In their quest for a historic quadruple, the Reds played every single game possible last season, taking their tally to 63.
The exhaustion from the previous season seems to have dragged into this season as well. Usually known for playing high-energy "Gegenpressing" football, they haven't had the same energy this season.
The physical and mental strain has obviously taken a toll on the players and affected their performances.
Midfield problems
The midfield was a core reason why this team dominated Europe for years. Last season they had a solid midfield trio in captain Jordan Henderson, Thiago and Fabinho, and it worked brilliantly for them. But this season, Fabinho has been drastiacally out of form, leading to him being dropped from the side.
Thiago and Henderson have picked up injuries at various points this season, meaning there hasn't been stability at the heart of Klopp's side. Henderson has been a brilliant servant for Liverpool but he's aging. With no investment in midfield in the transfer market, the issue arising isn't a surprise for anyone.
Losing Sadio Mane
Sadio Mane was a phenomenal player for Liverpool. When he left them for Bayern Munich in the summer, many were understandably disappointed. His replacement Darwin Nunez isn't the same type of player and is far behind in terms of quality.
Mane was an effective presser and used to win the ball back at the top end of the pitch, which meant they scored more goals. Liverpool has 28% fewer goals per game this season and this stat highlights how important Mane was for them. Not replacing him properly meant they were going to struggle and this has been evident.
New signings not clicking
Buying Darwin Nunez from Benfica in the summer for a whopping €80 million raised a lot of eyebrows. The Uruguayan striker has struggled for form and has been profligate in front of goal for them.
He is a very talented player, but he has had difficulty settling in. Other Liverpool signings Fabio Carvalho and Cody Gakpo (signed in January) are also yet to make an impression.
A side in transition
The team is in transition. They have players who have either reached their prime already or players who have quite some time to reach their prime. The imbalance in the squad means that they are in transition. This happens to every side and it takes time to fix the issues.
The solution is to make signings and sell players every transfer window. An investment on the squad is a must for this team in the upcoming summer transfer window. The Reds have been heavily linked with a big-money move for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, and the Englishman is the kind of signing they need to make in the summer to lift spirits.
Despite all of Liverpool's struggles this season, there shouldn't be any doubt over Jurgen Klopp's future. The German is the reason behind Liverpool reaching their heights and he will be the man to fix their problems. He built this side once before and will do it again. All Kopites can do right now is wait patiently and hope they get back to their best next season.
