Liverpool Have Player Issues to Sort

Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock has told WhichBookie that Alexander Isak needs to be removed from the squad to undergo a pre-season style training regime in order to reach full fitness. 

Speaking to WhichBookie, Warnock said: “I think Alexander Isak needs a period of time out of the Liverpool squad. He needs to be working away from the team and make sure he does the pre-season fitness work that he missed.

“Whether it’s long runs to work on his cardio or sharp sprints to get him back up to speed, he needs miles in his legs. He’s lacking a robustness and strength in his legs that you need to be able to deal with the physicality of the league, sprint fully and compete at any point in the game, even if it’s in the last minute. 

“He doesn’t seem like he can sprint properly and break away on the counterattack or get back to help defensively. However, Liverpool seem to feel that they need him in the matchday squad, which is a tricky situation. It probably doesn’t help that some of the other players aren’t performing either.     

“Hugo Ekitike should be the starting striker. That said, Slot obviously feels as though he needs options, which is why Isak is in the squad. There appears to be a lack of trust in Federico Chiesa, so he feels he needs Isak on the bench or in the starting XI.”

Another big loss could put Slot’s position in jeopardy

Warnock believes that another defeat like the 3-0 home loss to Nottingham Forest last weekend could put Arne Slot’s position under threat. 

“If Liverpool lose heavily again in the next few games, the board will consider replacing Arne Slot,” he said. “If they put in another performance like they did against Nottingham Forest with a similar scoreline, there will be murmurs from the board about changing things up. 

“I still think Slot can turn things around. They need to gain a bit of confidence and that comes from winning games or at least putting in better performances. I’d just love them to win a game 1-0 and have to battle hard for it. They need to get back into the habit of grinding out wins.

“Ultimately, Slot will be judged on his results. Off the back of winning the league, putting up such a limp title defence is not ideal. The one thing in his favour is that the board don’t tend to make rash decisions. They realise how difficult it is to integrate so many new players and regroup off the back of what happened with Diogo Jota over the summer.”

Currently, Arne Slot is listed at 11/2 to be the next Premier League manager to leave, highlighting the board’s scrutiny if Liverpool continue to struggle.

Salah won’t want his Liverpool career to fade out

The former Liverpool defender suggested Mohamed Salah will be conscious of not wanting to let his Liverpool career fizzle out this season. 

“Mohamed Salah won’t want his Liverpool career to fade out,” said Warnock. “He’ll want to go out on a high. He won’t want to be remembered for Liverpool giving him a new contract and that turning out to be the wrong decision because he dropped off.

“He’ll come back with a bang at some point, but that requires everyone else around him to click as well. At the moment, the team aren’t playing well as a collective. Naturally, we’re all looking at the star player, highlighting his performances and suggesting that he should be out the team, when there are other players who have also been below par.“