Liverpool's defense has yet to show the necessary solidity. The number of goals conceded by coach Arne Slot's team shows that they still have many problems to overcome.
Here it is not only Liverpool's ability to defend their Premier League title, but also this team's true defense. Since the beginning of the season, Liverpool have only kept a clean sheet three times in all competitions.
In the last 6 matches in all competitions, The Kop have conceded 11 goals. It is worth mentioning that when the one who made the most mistakes, contributing to Liverpool's decline in defense, was a name that seemed immune to criticism within the Merseyside red shirt team.
Not long ago, Virgil van Dijk was considered the best center back in the world. However, at the moment, he is not even the most prominent name in Liverpool's defense.
In the recent home defeat to life-threatening opponent Manchester United, Ibrahima Konate had to do everything he could to protect his teammate and help Van Dijk avoid falling into dangerous situations.
However, in the defeat to Brentford last weekend, the French midfielder could not help the situation when Van Dijk was once again exploited by the opponent. The Dutchman made a direct mistake that led to a goal conceded, after an uncontrolled tackle on Dango Ouattara.
And Van Dijk also completely disappeared on the pitch when Kevin Schade rushed up to double the gap for Brentford right before the end of the first half.
It was clear that the performance was not close to the standards Van Dijk set for himself, nor the expectations of Arne Slot and Liverpool for the 34-year-old centre-back.
Is age gradually catching up with him? Van Dijk looks much bland and lackluster than he has been in his previous peak seasons.
Van Dijk is also struggling to perform well due to Konate's inconsistency and the disappointing performance of new signing Milos Kerkez. The former Bournemouth defender was completely overwhelmed by the pace and intensity of the craze at Anfield.
Arne Slot has made a series of bold decisions in recent weeks. This includes removing big stars like Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz from the starting lineup.
But will Arne Slot be brave enough to take the boldest step - eliminating the captain from the away trip to Aston Villa? Just thinking about that makes me unbelievable. But then, the prospect of Liverpool losing 4 consecutive matches was also unimaginable.
Manchester United have now risen above Liverpool in the rankings. This is a certain reality that makes the reigning English champions feel hurt and challenged in terms of honor.
Difficult times always require strong decisions, and Arne Slot is now forced to prove that he is willing to put discipline and efficiency above reputation.
Perhaps, a break would be the best for Van Dijk at the moment. This will also be an opportunity for him to look back at himself, evaluate his playing style and identify the weaknesses that need to be overcome.
Like Salah, Van Dijk seems to be lacking the desire and motivation that has turned him into an irreplaceable leader. But if Liverpool are not careful, they are at risk of losing something much more important. It was a real chance to beat Arsenal in the Premier League title race.
