Arne Slot will be looking to guide Liverpool back to winning ways at the weekend, while Jurgen Klopp and two Premier League legends have had their say on the Reds
Chris Burns Senior Sports Writer
03:30, 01 Oct 2025
Arne Slot will be aiming to keep Liverpool at the top of the Premier League this weekend(Image: Tom Dulat, Getty Images)
Liverpool are looking to bounce back in the Premier League this Saturday as they take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The clash against Enzo Maresca’s side has taken on a new level of importance after Arne Slot’s team suffered a defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace last weekend.
Liverpool’s loss to Palace highlighted some ongoing problems that have been troubling the Reds throughout the season. Despite Slot’s team starting the season with five consecutive wins, the current Premier League champions have not quite lived up to expectations, struggling for fluidity in attacking areas and being left shockingly vulnerable in defence.
Late goals were needed to secure victories over Bournemouth, Newcastle, Arsenal and Burnley. A strong first half showing in the Merseyside Derby against Everton was noticeably missing in a second period that saw the Reds struggle to a narrow 2-1 win.
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Liverpool splashed out on Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak this summer as they bolstered their squad. While they still lead the league by two points, Slot’s team have yet to hit their stride.
With tactics being scrutinised by former manager Jurgen Klopp and Premier League legends weighing in on Liverpool’s underperforming stars, The ECHO brings you all the latest news from Anfield.
Klopp questions Liverpool’s style
Arne Slot’s predecessor, Klopp, has recently lauded Slot but also expressed some concerns about Liverpool’s current tactical approach.
Jurgen Klopp has had his say on Liverpool(Image: PA)
In an interview with The Athletic, the German, who clinched both the Premier League and Champions League titles with Liverpool, stated that the Reds appear “really good” but voiced reservations about how vulnerable Slot’s team appears this season, having let in seven goals in six matches, as per the Mirror.
“Liverpool is playing a specific (style), so really, really good,” Klopp said. “Very offensive orientated. Do they take the risk a little bit of being exposed? Different ways to go, let me say it like that.”
Jeremie Frimpong issue raised
New full-back Jeremie Frimpong has also been questioned by ex-Blackburn Rovers striker Chris Sutton. Sutton isn’t so sure that Slot is keen on the Dutchman with both Dominik Szoboszlai and Conor Bradley being deployed at right-back instead of the former Bayer Leverkusen star.
Frimpong has had to contend with an injury early on in his Liverpool career that kept him out for weeks. However, the 24-year-old has been singled out for his role in Palace’s late winner last weekend.
Speaking on the Football Daily Podcast, Sutton said: “I’m not sure he’s having [Jeremie] Frimpong, Arne Slot. At the weekend I was at the game against Crystal Palace – and let’s get it right, they thoroughly deserved to beat Liverpool. They were really direct in the way that they played with balls in behind and Liverpool just couldn’t cope.
Jeremie Frimpong joined Liverpool this summer(Image: Getty Images)
“But the reason I say that [about Frimpong] is that he [Slot] made substitutions and he put Szoboszlai to right back. He took Bradley off, Szoboszlai to right back and Frimpong stayed on the bench.
“He eventually did come on and was part of that, you know, his poor defending. It was amazing, and that’s probably why he’s not having him because that was an amazing decision from Frimpong in that moment to actually even have in his mind to start moving forward when his job as a right back is to essentially defend.”
“He left [Eddie] Nketiah alone and the finish was brilliant but that was down to to him. So when you think that Liverpool have changed full-backs from last season – and even Kerkez off the left-hand side – I do feel that they are a work in progress.”
Everton icon sends warning
Blues legend Duncan Ferguson reckons Arsenal will claim the Premier League crown this campaign. Ferguson was speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football alongside Reds legend Jamie Carragher.
Duncan Ferguson believes Arsenal will win the league(Image: Getty Images)
The former Toffees striker thinks Mikel Arteta’s squad appears more formidable than Liverpool this term. “I was very impressed with them [Arsenal], I’ve put them down for the favourites for the title, I think they’ll be in front of Liverpool,” Ferguson said.
He continued: “He [Arteta] changes formations he changes tactics, he’s putting different personnel in for the game… what I’ve saw of Liverpool, the wee bit of Liverpool I’ve saw this year and what I’ve saw of Arsenal, Arsenal look a stronger team.”
Salah issue raised by Premier League legend
Alan Shearer has suggested that Mohamed Salah is struggling with a confidence crisis, claiming that the Reds’ attacking play “doesn’t look right”.
Despite Liverpool netting 12 goals in the Premier League – matching Arsenal’s tally and trailing only Manchester City – Salah has managed just two league strikes, an unusual statistic for the club’s third-highest scorer in history.
Mohamed Salah has scored two Premier League goals this season(Image: PA)
“They’re still trying to work out Wirtz because they left [Cody] Gakpo out, put Wirtz on the left, Salah on the right and Isak down the middle and it still didn’t look right,” the Newcastle and England legend said on the Rest is Football podcast.
“Salah certainly doesn’t look confident and not the Salah were used to yet, it’ll change and it’s a matter of time but they’re all trying to figure out how to get the best out of each other. They haven’t played well as yet, they’ve scored all those late goals and again, they get a late goal but it was role reversed.”