Liverpool’s title defense hasn’t exactly gone to plan — and former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin thinks he knows why.
Speaking to BetWright, the Scottish pundit highlighted a mix of tactical imbalance and unfinished chemistry among Liverpool’s new stars as the root of the problem.
“There are definitely problems at Liverpool,” Nevin said. “We know how good Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz are, but they clearly haven’t gelled with the team yet.”
Nevin believes the Reds’ record signings — who arrived amid huge excitement — have not yet found the rhythm needed to make Arne Slot’s system click.
For fans who expected Liverpool to hit the ground running after a £400 million summer spree, that’s been hard to watch.
But that’s not all. The former winger also pointed out what he sees as a tactical weak spot. “As brilliant as Mohamed Salah is, he’s not helping his full-back; and that is a real problem-position for Arne Slot at the moment,” he explained.
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Pat Nevin: “Szoboszlai is not a full-back!”
Nevin went further, noting how Slot’s makeshift choices in defense have added to the instability. “Dominik Szoboszlai is a lovely player, but he’s not a full-back! I could write a book on the amount of mistakes he’s made playing there – but of course, he’s naturally a midfielder and in fairness to him, he is creating chances.”
It’s a fair point. Szoboszlai’s energy and technique have stood out, but his defensive awareness is still developing — something Premier League opponents have been quick to target.
For all their attacking flair, Liverpool have looked vulnerable down the flanks, a problem that could grow if not addressed soon.
Nevin added that based on these issues, he doesn’t see Liverpool running away with the title this season. “So based on those factors, I don’t think Liverpool are going to run away with the title by any means,” he said.
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Arsenal tipped as favorites ahead of Liverpool
When asked who could take advantage of Liverpool’s uneven form, Nevin didn’t hesitate. “In reality, I can’t see past Arsenal,” he claimed.
“They’re strong in so many areas; if Declan Rice gets injured, they have an assembly line of players ready to replace him.”
However, he did admit one edge Liverpool still have: experience. “The biggest thing Liverpool have over Arsenal in this title race is that they know they can win the league – they’ve done it before. Whereas Arsenal only think they can do it.”
Nevin’s comments will surely divide opinion among fans. But with new faces still settling in and tactical tweaks continuing, there’s little doubt Liverpool remain a work in progress.
The big question now: how long before Slot gets his system firing again?