Overview
- Liverpool have lost six of their past seven matches in all competitions, including a 3-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Crystal Palace with a heavily rotated side.
- Slot defends resting senior players to prepare for a congested run that features Real Madrid and Manchester City.
- He contends chance conversion, not chance concession, is the main on‑field issue, with injuries and players unaccustomed to three games in seven days contributing.
- Independent analysis points to a defensive decline, with underperforming new full-backs and deteriorating metrics compared with recent seasons.
- Alan Shearer calls sacking talk an overreaction but says failing to beat Villa would ramp up pressure and could end their title hopes, with leaders Arsenal potentially 10 points clear by kickoff.