Liverpool’s form at this moment in time is nothing short of awful, especially in the Premier League.
The 2024/25 Premier League champions have failed to win any of their last five matches in the Premier League and have collected only four points.
The Reds are now in sixth position in the league table with 36 points after their 3-2 defeat to AFC Bournemouth in their last match.
After their loss, both Manchester United and Chelsea managed to overtake them by winning their respective matches.
Liverpool’s form threatens to result in missing out on a UEFA Champions League spot next season.
However, it is the way Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, their two stalwarts, have fallen from grace which is something that sticks out badly.
Liverpool’s Form: Premier League Champions Looking A Shadow Of Their Former Selves
Salah is in his ninth season at Anfield and has scored 250 goals in 423 matches for the Reds.
The Egyptian King reached the fantastic milestone of 250 goals for the Reds around three months ago; however, since then, he has failed to score a single goal for his club and has hogged more limelight with an off-field problem with Arne Slot than with his on-field exploits.
The 33-year-old has scored only five goals in 22 matches this season, which is definitely not the kind of return the club expects from him.
He will be 34 in a few months and has quite possibly left his best years as a footballer behind him, which has seen Liverpool’s form dip in recent weeks, with their goalscoring Egyptian experiencing somewhat of a drought.
Van Dijk is also in his ninth season at Liverpool and recently reached the milestone of 350 matches for the club.
The Dutch central defender has probably been the best centre-back in the world for the better part of the last decade.
However, as his forgettable performance against Bournemouth pointed out, the 34-year-old has lost a significant portion of his invincibility as a centre-back.
Van Dijk was responsible for at least two goals scored by Bournemouth on the day and is visibly struggling to lead the defence by example.
The situation has been made worse by the fact that neither Ibrahima Konate nor Joe Gomez has staked his claim to be a permanent defensive partner for him because of injuries or lack of form. Thus, the defensive woes have been a primary reason for Liverpool’s form.
Van Dijk is still a considerable aerial threat for the opposition defenders from set-plays, but that is not enough. Liverpool currently does not have another defensive player who can walk and fill the big Dutchman’s shoes.
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Liverpool’s Form: What Next For The Reds?
Arne Slot tried playing Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong in the right winger position in Salah’s absence during AFCON, but that did not work out.
The Reds do not have a proper left-footed winger who can play on the right side of the pitch other than Salah in their squad.
As a result, at the moment, they have hardly any other option but to play the Egyptian in that position despite their form.
The defensive plight is even worse, as the Reds cannot even afford to rest Van Dijk for a while.
Liverpool renewed Salah and Van Dijk’s contracts last year, which does not seem to be the best of decisions in hindsight.
Salah and Van Dijk have won two Premier League titles and a Champions League title with the Reds, but are doing little to improve Liverpool’s form as the Premier League champions are currently experiencing some worrisome times.
Main Photo
Credit: Alfie Cosgrove/News Images
Recording Date: 17.09.2025
