Are Liverpool and Arne Slot missing Trent Alexander-Arnold?
That headline is the question that Liverpool fans have been asking since the start of the campaign.
After cruising to the Premier League title last season, Liverpool strengthened their squad with some of Europe’s most sought-after talent.
Arne Slot’s side spent around £416.2m during the summer, more than any other club, with Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike among the headline arrivals at Anfield.
The season had started relatively well despite relying on some later winners in their first few matches. However, it has started to go wrong.
Despite sitting third in the table, Liverpool head into Sunday’s meeting with Manchester United on the back of three consecutive defeats in all competitions, prompting fresh scrutiny of Slot’s team.
READ MORE | Head to Super Local Sports News for more reaction to Liverpool's clash with Man United
While new signings often need time to settle, the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid appears to have had a more profound effect on Liverpool’s balance than first anticipated.
The 27-year-old, occasionally criticised for his defending, still delivered 18 goals and 64 assists for the club, but his absence is being felt in subtler ways.
Have they struggled against sides that play a high defensive line?
The Premier League boasts some of the most finely tuned defensive structures in world football, from aggressive high presses to compact, disciplined low blocks.
There are generally two ways to bypass a press: playing through it with precision or going long to play over it.
Against well-organised pressing sides or higher defensive lines, Liverpool have found it harder to move the ball up the pitch with the same fluency that defined their play last season.
Salah is being forced to play with his back to goal.
A manager’s tactical options are often shaped by the players at their disposal, and without Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool have found it harder to bypass the short build-up and release their quick attackers into space.
Both Isak and Salah are at their most dangerous when running at defenders in open areas, but that route has been less accessible this season, meaning their strengths are not being fully utilised.
A slower build-up allows opposing teams to recover their shape, forcing Liverpool to attack against deeper, more compact defences. As a result, Salah has increasingly been receiving the ball with his back to goal, both centrally and out wide.
For all his brilliance, Salah is less effective in such situations. When defenders press tightly behind him, his ability to turn and attack the goal is restricted, often leaving him with little choice but to play the ball back.
What do the fans think?
Hollie told us: “We definitely miss him. For all his flaws at times, the team just doesn’t look as cohesive without him.”
Andy T added: “It’s funny how you only truly appreciate someone once they’re gone.”
Gaz believes there are deeper problems at play. “Playing your best midfielders at centre back and right back doesn’t help. Especially when you’ve got an actual centre back and right back sitting on the bench!”
Ollie offered a broader view: “Do Liverpool miss his defending? No. Do they miss his creativity? Yes. Has Trent leaving disrupted the system? Absolutely.”
