Liverpool have entered a perilous phase in their 2025/26 campaign following a devastating 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven. The loss has intensified scrutiny on the reigning Premier League champions, as their form has sunk to levels unseen in decades.
After starting the season as defending champions, expectations for the Reds were sky-high. Yet, reality has fallen far short. Their league position has plummeted, and with just one victory in their last five Premier League matches, the gap to the top of the table continues to widen. What once looked like a promising season is now turning into a string of disappointing results, confirmed by worrying statistics.
A Drastic Decline in League Performance
Liverpool began the season with impressive momentum, winning their first five Premier League fixtures and seven across all competitions. However, that early dominance came to a halt with a 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace on September 27. Since that setback, the team’s performances have deteriorated sharply.
Over the next twelve matches, Liverpool suffered nine losses and secured only three victories. Six defeats in seven league games saw them tumble from title contenders to 12th place in the table. This alarming slump mirrors a trend not seen in the club for 70 years, raising serious concerns among supporters and analysts alike.
Historically, Liverpool’s poor start is unprecedented for a reigning champion. The last team to experience such a dramatic decline was Leicester City in the 2016-17 season, who also lost six of their first twelve games after their remarkable title-winning campaign.
European Competitions Offer Little Solace
Liverpool’s struggles are not confined to domestic football. Once a source of redemption and confidence, European competition has failed to provide a safety net. While wins over Eintracht Frankfurt and Real Madrid offered brief relief, the recent 4-1 defeat against PSV has cast a shadow over their Champions League campaign.
The result means Liverpool have already lost two of their five group-stage matches this season. Moreover, the loss represents the third consecutive match in which they have been defeated by a margin of three goals or more, following previous 3-0 losses to Manchester City and Nottingham Forest. Such results underline the severity of the team’s current crisis.
Echoes of the Painful 1950s
The Reds’ current struggles have drawn comparisons with the infamous 1953-54 season, one of the darkest periods in the club’s history. That season saw Liverpool endure humiliating defeats, including a 5-1 loss to Portsmouth, a 5-1 defeat against Manchester United, and a 5-2 collapse against West Bromwich Albion on Christmas Day.
During that campaign, Liverpool recorded nine defeats in eleven matches, with only a victory over Blackpool and a draw against West Brom breaking the pattern of losses. Most of these results occurred in the league, with the team also being eliminated from the FA Cup by Bolton. After beating Blackpool, the club went on a 15-game winless streak, ultimately resulting in relegation.
Although this season’s form has not yet reached the catastrophic level of 1953-54, the rapid decline is alarming, particularly given that Liverpool finished 17th in the previous campaign, making this downturn all the more shocking for fans who expected a title defense.
A Season Under Pressure
Liverpool’s current predicament underscores both tactical and psychological challenges. The team’s defense has been repeatedly exposed, scoring opportunities have dried up, and confidence has waned. Supporters and pundits alike are questioning whether manager Arne Slot can navigate the Reds out of this historic slump.
With only a handful of games separating Liverpool from their rivals at the top, every match has become critical. The team must rediscover form, cohesion, and confidence if they hope to salvage a season that is rapidly turning into one of the most difficult campaigns in their storied history.
If improvements are not made swiftly, Liverpool risk repeating a nightmare scenario reminiscent of the 1950s, when a once-proud club was forced to rebuild from the lower tiers of English football. The Reds’ fate this season hangs in the balance, and every game now carries the weight of history.
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