In the first 10 minutes of the second half at Anfield, it felt like time stopped. When the home fans screamed, throwing scarves into the air to praise Dominik Szoboszlai's beautiful free kick into Manchester City's net, Liverpool seemed to suddenly return to the form of last season, determined to remind the whole world of the position of the reigning Premier League champion.
However, when the final whistle sounded, the only celebrations came from the away team's stands. Man City fans joyfully welcomed their first double victory against Liverpool since 1937, thanks to late goals from Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland. This is a much more suitable ending to The Kop's bleak story this season.
The 1-2 defeat to Pep Guardiola's team is Liverpool's eighth defeat in the Premier League this season. Currently, they have only won 6 of their last 20 matches in the league and are facing a fierce battle to win a ticket to the UEFA Champions League next season, when they are 5 points behind fourth-placed Manchester United.
There are mitigating factors behind that alarming streak of form, but for head coach Arne Slot, the reality is that numbers do not lie. And the biggest concern for the Dutch strategist may lie elsewhere. That is that the culture of steadfast belief and loyalty that his predecessor Jurgen Klopp cultivated is being seriously threatened.
Right after arriving at Anfield in 2015, Klopp felt the skepticism of Liverpool fans and called on them to transform from "suspect" to "trustee". But at many times this season, that energy - both on the field and in the stands - seemed to have run out.
It can be said that Slot's harshest challenge at this time is to regain the trust of fans. But is it too late to turn things around?
Alarming decline threatens hopes of Champions League participation
When Liverpool defeated city rivals Everton in September last year, they had a 5-match winning streak in the Premier League. At that time, after a record spending summer, the defending champion was considered the brightest candidate for the goal of defending the throne, although the habit of winning late raised questions about sustainability.
Those doubts finally have an answer. Liverpool are currently closer to the relegation zone than league leaders Arsenal. With a team that won the previous season with a 10-point gap, this long slide is an alarm bell.
In the last 20 matches, Slot's team earned fewer points than 11 teams in the Premier League, including Fulham, Brighton and Everton. In the same period, they are only 3 points ahead of Nottingham Forest and 4 points ahead of West Ham - two teams also facing a clear relegation risk.
The comeback defeat against Man City caused Liverpool to drop 8 points in injury time this season - the most in the league. That trend would probably be less cruel if The Kop started fast enough. But they have only scored 3 goals in the first 30 minutes of Premier League matches this season, of which 2 goals came from the same match.
The scenario against Man City was similar. The away team took the lead in the first half, while Liverpool only really woke up after the break and deserved to take the lead thanks to Szoboszlai's goal in the 74th minute. However, when Bernardo Silva equalized just 10 minutes later, a disappointing atmosphere quickly spread over Anfield. Until goalkeeper Alisson Becker fouled Matheus Nunes unnecessarily, earning a penalty for Man City in injury time, a part of the fans began to leave the field.
In many ways, this is a miniature version of Liverpool's season. Personal mistakes, limited squad depth and controversial situations all contribute to deciding the outcome.
Of course, not every factor is under Slot's control. But he also has to bear part of the responsibility for Liverpool's inability to maintain and promote their strengths.
