After cruising to the Premier League title last season and spending a record £416.2 million in the summer transfer window, Liverpool were expected to dominate again under new head coach Arne Slot.
However, the Reds have now lost three consecutive matches in all competitions and sit third in the table — a concerning dip in form that has raised tactical and structural questions about the team’s balance.

While new signings Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, and Hugo Ekitike are still settling into life at Anfield, one factor stands out as a defining issue: the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The 27-year-old’s transfer to Real Madrid last summer was viewed by some as a manageable loss given his defensive inconsistencies. But Liverpool are now discovering just how integral his creative and technical qualities were — not only in attack, but in the way the team built from the back.

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1. Liverpool’s Struggles Against the High Defensive Block

Premier League teams are pressing higher and defending more compactly than ever. To beat such setups, elite sides must either play through the press with intricate passing or bypass it entirely with long, accurate balls into space.

Last season, Alexander-Arnold excelled at both. His ability to use either foot — particularly when under pressure — gave Liverpool unique flexibility. In a 2024 fixture against Tottenham Hotspur, the right-back used his weaker left foot to thread a pinpoint pass through midfield, breaking Spurs’ high press and springing Alexis Mac Allister into space.

Without him, Liverpool’s right-back rotation of Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong have struggled to replicate that composure. Against Chelsea, Bradley repeatedly turned back toward Ibrahima Konaté instead of finding midfield options — restarting build-ups instead of breaking lines.

The result? A slower tempo, predictable passing patterns, and reduced penetration through central areas.

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2. Wirtz’s Deep Role Disrupting Attacking Balance

Slot’s tactical solution has been to drop Florian Wirtz deeper in possession. While the German playmaker is technically gifted, his natural game is about creating in the final third, not orchestrating from the back.

Data comparisons from his Bayer Leverkusen days show that Wirtz now receives far more passes in deeper zones, highlighting a structural compromise. He’s being used as a temporary connector to progress the ball — but that comes at the cost of his attacking threat.

Short-term, this has stabilized Liverpool’s build-up. Long-term, it limits Wirtz’s ability to influence games where he’s most dangerous — around the edge of the box.

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3. Decline in Long Passes and Switches of Play

Liverpool’s direct play has declined sharply since Alexander-Arnold’s departure. Last season, the Reds averaged 3.4 switches of play per 90 minutes; this year, that number has dropped to 1.3.

Alexander-Arnold’s trademark cross-field diagonals stretched opponents horizontally, creating space for Mohamed Salah and Luis Díaz to isolate defenders.
Without him, Liverpool’s attacks often become narrow and congested, allowing compact defensive blocks to reset.

Statistically, the gap is stark:

• Alexander-Arnold (2024/25): 11.3 long passes per 90, 42.1% accuracy
• Bradley (2025/26): 3.7 long passes per 90, 16.1% accuracy
• Frimpong (2025/26): 1.1 long passes per 90, 0% accuracy

Virgil van Dijk remains Liverpool’s best long-range passer, but his diagonals are not enough on their own to recreate the same fluid transitions.

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4. Salah Forced to Play With His Back to Goal

The absence of Alexander-Arnold’s line-breaking and switching ability has also affected Liverpool’s star man.
Mohamed Salah now receives the ball in congested zones with defenders tight behind him, limiting his ability to turn and run at goal.

Salah thrives when facing defenders, attacking open space at speed. But slower build-up phases mean opponents have time to drop back, forcing him into deeper or wider positions.
This pattern has reduced Liverpool’s unpredictability — and their most lethal attacker’s impact.

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5. How Manchester United Could Exploit the Weakness

Liverpool face Rúben Amorim’s Manchester United this weekend, and United will almost certainly look to target the “Trent-shaped gap” in Liverpool’s system.
Amorim has occasionally deployed a 5-4-1 defensive block, and such a shape could frustrate Liverpool by:

• Blocking central progression, forcing play wide to less creative full-backs
• Encouraging Wirtz to drop deeper, neutralizing his attacking influence
• Reducing counter-attack space for Isak and Salah by defending with a compact back five

If United maintain discipline and press selectively, they can capitalize on Liverpool’s current hesitation in possession — particularly on the right flank.

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6. What Liverpool Must Do Next

Slot must decide whether to adapt his system to the tools available or attempt to replace Alexander-Arnold’s creativity directly.
Potential solutions include:

• Pushing Mac Allister or Szoboszlai into hybrid right-sided roles to aid progression
• Giving Wirtz a freer attacking license and entrusting Konaté or van Dijk with deeper playmaking
• Encouraging earlier switches of play to stretch defenses

Until then, Liverpool’s title defense will likely continue to be shaped by the void left behind by their homegrown right-back — a player whose impact went far beyond assists and goals.