Overview

• Liverpool have lost three straight matches, including stoppage-time league defeats to Crystal Palace (97') and Chelsea (96') and a Champions League loss at Galatasaray.
• Gary Lineker and Jamie Redknapp say the team is missing Trent Alexander-Arnold’s unique creativity since his summer move to Real Madrid.
• Arne Slot has alternated Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong and has even used Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back while searching for a settled solution.
• Ibrahima Konaté’s contract runs out next summer with reported Real Madrid interest, as Rio Ferdinand warns of scapegoating and Conor Coady cites tactical exposure in the channel.
• The champions’ heavy summer overhaul — nine signings and 10 departures with about £444m in outlay — has left integration work to do on players like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, with Liverpool still only a point off the top entering the break.