In mid-March last season, Liverpool were flying high in all competitions. Under the leadership of Jurgen Klopp, The Kop have the same number of points as the Premier League leader Arsenal and have previously won the Carabao Cup. In addition, they also reached the quarter-finals of both the FA Cup and Europa League. The thought of a four-way meal has appeared in the minds of many Liverpool fans.
However, within just over a month, Liverpool were eliminated from both cup competitions and suffered a disastrous drop in the Premier League title race, eventually 9 points behind champions Manchester City.
Injuries played an important role in the decline of the "Red Brigade". According to the Premier Injuries website, Liverpool have had 21 different players sidelined throughout that campaign. Only Tottenham (22) have suffered more injuries. Liverpool's injury crisis has eased in the final months of the season as a number of players have returned, including Szoboszlai, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold. However, they still have not had time to regain their best form.
"There are certainly many different aspects. The players who play all the matches are no longer energetic, but so are the other teams.
I really don't want to use that as an excuse, as long as the guys are healthy and not injured, it helps. Coming back from injury is clearly a bit different, because the intensity of the game doesn't wait for you," Klopp said in April last year.
Liverpool's decline last season was demonstrated by their average points per match (PPG). In the first 28 games of last season, the Reds have won 2.29 PPG, down to 1.8 PPG in the final 10 games of the campaign. So far this season, Liverpool is at 2.41 PPG, while the second-placed team Arsenal is 2.0 PPG and the third-placed team Nottingham Forest is 1.86 PPG.
Liverpool's impressive record to date - along with the lack of consistency of opponents - means that any slips in the coming weeks may not be at a disadvantage. But if Slot's side continue their decline from March until the end of the season, their seemingly peaceful run will be stormy.
"I know how football works. If you can't win a title, as a player or coach, it can haunt you for a decade.
There are many ways for players and teams to be remembered. Look at the Netherlands at the World Cup 2014. Everyone thought they would win the championship, but the result was not like that. After that, discussions about the playing style of the Dutch team that year were taken apart" - Slot was cautious.
