A streak of 12 unbeaten matches is often not a reason to suffer booing. However, the atmosphere at Anfield after the final whistle of the draw with Burnley shows that unbeaten does not mean convincing. And if Liverpool can extend this streak to 13 at the Stade Velodrome, that will be a clearer basis to believe that they have truly passed a difficult period.
Arne Slot's team travels to Marseille in a daze. The revival once expected is slowing down, and the big question remains open. Is Liverpool on the rise, or just stagnating?
Reactions on social media or hasty debates are not an accurate measure, but the next few months will be decisive. The Kop fans need to clearly see whether Slot has found the optimal formula for a record-consuming squad or not.
In the immediate future, the 13-match unbeaten streak will be significant. Especially if it is a victory to help Liverpool break into the top 8 of the Champions League, thereby avoiding the play-offs and having more valuable break time in February. Even a draw may be enough, but risks are something that cannot be underestimated.
Liverpool's worrying sign this season lies in the fact that they have lost to mid-range opponents in Europe such as Galatasaray or PSV Eindhoven. The 1-4 heavy defeat to the Dutch champions was a shock that forced Slot to adjust, even accepting to remove Mohamed Salah from the starting lineup.
Despite keeping a clean sheet in 5 of their last 12 matches - notably the victories against Inter at San Siro and Arsenal at Emirates - Liverpool's unbeaten streak is still weak. 4 consecutive draws in the Premier League, along with being held to a draw by 3 newly promoted teams four times since the beginning of December last year, have caused them to lose the opportunity to chase Aston Villa and Manchester City.
The core issue lies in scoring ability. In the last 10 rounds of the Premier League, Liverpool has only scored 15 goals - lower than 8 other teams - and ranked behind 7 teams in terms of expected goal difference (xG). Salah's upcoming return from the African Cup may bring hope, although it means that the defense must trade off balance.
Florian Wirtz started scoring, but the collective strength has not yet reached the necessary explosive level. The system of concentrating many midfielders was effective at Milan, where Curtis Jones played prominently and Dominik Szoboszlai scored the decisive goal. However, the fact that the Hungarian midfielder missed a penalty against Burnley shows that the current solutions are only temporary.
The away trip to Marseille is therefore a turning point. Liverpool is currently ninth after six Champions League matches, but still has an advantage when playing their last match at home against Qarabag. A positive result in France could open the door to the top 8 - something that was once thought to have closed after the disastrous defeat to PSV.
Coach Roberto De Zerbi's Marseille is a real challenge. They are the team that has scored the most goals at home in Ligue 1 and just had 14 goals in the last 2 matches. Mason Greenwood is also in high form with 9 goals in 7 matches. De Zerbi's chaotic and attacking nature is a double-edged sword - both dangerous and unstable.
Stade Velodrome, with its breathtaking atmosphere, will be another test for Liverpool's bravery. This season, they have fallen on pressured fields in Europe, typically the failure in Istanbul. Notably, that was also the time Slot first put Salah on the bench - a sign that he was still struggling to find a balance between attack and defense.
4 months have passed, the complete solution has not yet appeared. But if Liverpool can leave France with a 13-match unbeaten streak, that will be an important foundation.
