Reigning Premier League champions Liverpool are currently smashing the wrong records. Having comfortably won the Premier League title for the first time in 30 years last season, Jurgen Klopp’s men have now lost six matches at Anfield Stadium on the bounce. The question on everyone’s lips is why it has gone so terribly wrong for a team that dominated the world for over 24 months.
The Reds were defeated 1-0 by West London club Fulham at Anfield Stadium on Sunday evening and have now slipped down to eighth on the Premier League log, leaving Liverpool’s title defense in bits and pieces and further lessening their hopes of finishing in Champions League places.
In the history of the club, this is the first time the club has ever lost six home league matches on a bounce. To make matters worse, six home losses is the most Liverpool have suffered in a single league campaign since the year 1953/54when they also lost six times. The last time they last suffered more was in 1937/38 when the club endured seven defeats at home.
The terrible record at home this season started on the 21st of January when the Reds lost 1-0 to Burnley football club. Brighton came calling on the 3rd of February and left Afield with the maximum point courtesy of a 1-0 win, which BoyleSports covered with interesting odds ahead of the game. Four days after, league leaders Manchester City won 4-1 at Anfield, followed by surprise losses to Everton, Chelsea, and Fulham.
Incredibly, Jurgen Klopp’s men have the worst home record in the top four tiers in England this year – having picked up a single point from their seven matches at home this calendar year.
That home record is worse than other teams that have been struggling on home soil since January, including Walsall, Rochdale, Charlton, Carlisle United, and AFC Wimbledon
Arguably, the point at which it all went wrong for Liverpool was when centre-half Virgil van Dijk picked up a season-ending injury against Everton last October, followed by his partner Joe Gomez is ruled out for the entire season after sustaining a knee injury the following month while on international duty with the Three Lions of England.
The team started recording poor results shortly after injuries to the two first-choice centre-halfs, plunging through December to an unprecedented low.
While some believed Liverpool’s collapse resulted from defensive dips, many pointed fingers at the attacking line.
The Merseysiders have let in 36 goals in 28 matches, having conceded just 20 after the same number of matches throughout last campaign – meaning the backline is 80 percent less effective this season.
Aside from the backline, their attacking line has also declined this term having contributed 45.6 percent fewer points this term.
Talking about the much-celebrated attacking trio of Firminho, Mane, and Salah, they have greatly declined as the number of shots on target; goals scored have dropped since New Year.
Statistics has it that the Reds had lost their lead 1,029 days from injuries this term as of March 1 – considering all reported injuries suffered since the opening league weekend and lasting nine days or even more.
This shows that the current injury problem has contributed, if not entirely caused, the collapse in form – it also showed a lack of squad depth, reliance on key members of the team, and dependence on a certain playing style.
