The defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium has seen Liverpool slump to their worst start of a Premier League season in ten years, with Jurgen Klopp under intense pressure now. Liverpool have managed only two wins, 4 draws, and 2 defeats in 8 Premier League matches so far.
Liverpool opened their Premier League campaign this season with a trip to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham. It was a disappointing game for the Reds as they settled for a 2-2 draw.
They had to come back twice to secure a point against Fulham. Nunez’s 64th-minute goal canceled out Mitrovic’s 32nd-minute opener, while Salah’s 80th-minute goal foiled Mitrovic’s brace after a 72nd-minute penalty.
Jurgen Klopp left Craven Cottage with a point, but it was a performance far below expectation.
Their next game was at home to Crystal Palace. It was a shocker. Wilfred Zaha struck first to give Patrick Vieira’s team the lead.
It was a double tragedy for Klopp; with one goal down, Darwin Nunez was sent off after headbutting a Crystal Palace defender.
However, a sheer moment of brilliance saw Luis Diaz fired a thunderbolt beating the Crystal Palace goalkeeper to bring the score line to a 1-1 draw.
The Reds traveled to Old Trafford for their third Premier League encounter. It was a tricky tie.
Then, both teams were winless, with Manchester United suffering two defeats and dropping all six points, while Liverpool hit two draws, dropping four points.
Bookmakers gave the match to Jurgen Klopp, given Manchester United’s heavy defeats in the hands of less fancied teams.
But it was another shocker. Goals from Jadon Sancho in the 16th minute and Marcus Rashford in the 53rd minute did the magic. Mo Salah scored a consolation goal for the Reds in the 80th minute, but the damage was done.
Liverpool’s winless run to the season continued after their first defeat at the hands of rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford. Klopp was now coming under heavy pressure.
However, a record 9-0 victory over struggling Bournemouth offered some semblances of hope for the Reds.
Klopp went on to grab his second Premier League win over Newcastle, but it was a scrappy win as most pundits described it.
After Isak had put the Magpies in front in the 38th minute, Roberto Firmino equalized in the 61st minute.
The Reds then had to wait for a 90+8 controversial stoppage-time goal from Carvalho to secure a late victory.
The game was Liverpool’s last win in the Premier League as they went on to draw 0-0 with Everton at Goodison Park and settled for another dramatic 3-3 draw with Brighton at Anfield.
Liverpool won their last two Champions League match against Ajax and Rangers but suffered a heavy opening defeat to Napoli in Italy.
Jurgen Klopp was expected to right the wrongs and prove a point against a high-flying Arsenal, but that did not happen.
England national team player of the year, Saka bagged a brace, including a goal from the penalty spot after Gabriel Martinelli scored the opening goal.
Goals from Darwin Nunez and Roberto Firmino were not enough for the Klopp-led team as they settled for their second Premier League defeat.
After eight matches, Liverpool is 10th on the Premier League table, with 10 points.
They are now 14 points from table toppers Arsenal and 23 points from Manchester City.
Jurgen Klopp is just four points away from the relegation zone. This is their worst Premier League start since the 2012/13 football season in which they lost their opening match 3-0 to West Brom and were winless till matchday 6 when they defeated Norwich 2-0.
That season, the Reds settled for only 2 wins, 3 losses, and three draws after 8 matches. They finished that season in the 7th position on the table with 61 points, dropping off from Champions League and Europa League spots.
As it stands, Liverpool may not be able to repeat last season’s feat in which they battled for the Premier League title till the last matchday, narrowly losing the title to Manchester City with just a point difference.
Jurgen Klopp is under intense pressure. Silence from the club management doesn’t mean all is going right or complacent with the drastic turn of events at the club.
Liverpool only failed to concede a goal this season against struggling Bournemouth and against Everton in the Merseyside derby.
Klopp has to beef up his defense. Virgil van Dijk is not a newbie, but he has to be backed up by both a more potent and more compact midfield and a threatening attacking lineup.
Some pundits have attributed Liverpool’s poor form this season to Sadio Mane’s exit, leaving the Reds’ attacking line-up less forceful to ease off the pressure on the midfield and defense.
A three-match ban for Darwin Nunez also affected the team. Nevertheless, Klopp got a huge task to reconfigure the squad and set up a better game plan to return to winning ways.
