Some see it as Liverpool starting to wobble but Arne Slot doesn’t believe it is anything out of the ordinary.
In fact it is something the Dutch boss believes even the great Manchester City side under Pep Guardiola suffered on their way to four titles in a row. That is not being perfect for 38 games a season. There will be more than a few bad performances.
The Reds head to Aston Villa on the back of arguably two of their worst displays of the season as well as a shock FA Cup exit to Plymouth with a much-changed side. Of course, it should be pointed out that Slot’s side emerged from those games against Everton and Wolves with four points.
Just a week ago they were six points clear of Arsenal. With two games less to play in the Premier League, they’re seven clear. This is hardly a crisis or some sort of crash but. because of high standards this season, there has been a clear drop off in the last two league outings.
Liverpool managed just four shots on target across 90 minutes against Everton in a 2-2 draw while they failed to register a single effort on goal in the second half against Wolves on Sunday despite winning 2-1.
Players such as Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister, two who have been excellent all season, have also looked below their best. But Slot, who led Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title in 2023, remains calm about the situation as they prepare to face a Villa side looking to reignite their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League again.
“What I’ve learned, if there’s any experience I’ve learned of winning a league title, is in general in a season if there are 38 games to be played, don’t expect you have 38 times fantastic football,” he said..
“If you are a very good team and a very special team you play 20-25 very good games then you play a few mediocre ones and you play a few very bad ones. But it is more about the results in the mediocre or bad ones than the 20-25 because they are ones you will probably win. It is normal in a season that it is not 38 times the best football that is ever played.
"Not in the history of Liverpool, not in the four years City won the league and not this time with us, or Arsenal, or City, or Chelsea. We all have a certain amount of games that we play really well and because we have to play so many games as well you can’t expect them to be every time outplaying every single opponent.”
Liverpool will need an upturn in performance this week if they are to maintain their lead over Arsenal, though. Because, as good as Everton have been in their resurgence under Moyes and the threat of Matheus Cunha with Wolves, this is a step up in opponent as they face Villa and Manchester City away in the space of four days.
Then there is the visit of Newcastle at Anfield next Wednesday to make it three huge games in eight days. “I am, indeed, calm except for maybe the minute after we conceded the 2-2 [against Everton],” said Slot.