It felt like the walls of Anfield were beginning to shake again, but this time not with the joy of victory or the echo of “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” It was a sound of worry, of pain, of uncertainty. Liverpool, a team that once looked untouchable under the new light of Arne Slot’s leadership, now found themselves trapped in a storm of defeat, confusion, and growing injury concerns. The fans who filled the away end at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday night went home with heavy hearts. They had seen their team suffer a fourth straight Premier League loss, and worse still, they had watched another player—Curtis Jones—walk off injured. For Slot, it felt like the problems were stacking higher than he could handle.
When he took over from Jurgen Klopp, Slot knew that expectations would be massive. He was stepping into a club that had just said goodbye to one of the greatest managers in its history. Klopp had built a family. He had built belief, pride, and a culture of victory. And Slot, with his calm eyes and tactical brain, promised evolution—not revolution. But football does not wait for dreams to settle. The Premier League is cruel, and Liverpool’s 2025–26 campaign has been nothing short of a nightmare.
Four defeats in a row. A broken rhythm. A dressing room losing confidence. And now, as the Reds prepare to host Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup fourth round, six players could be missing. What once looked like an opportunity to rotate and rebuild confidence has now turned into another headache for Slot.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way.
When the season began, Liverpool lifted the Community Shield at Wembley—well, not quite lifted, because they actually lost it to Crystal Palace on penalties. But even in that defeat, there was belief. The football looked fresh, the energy seemed new, and the fans hoped it was only the beginning of something special. But as the weeks rolled on, that dream started to fade. Palace beat them again in the Premier League at Selhurst Park, a late 2-1 defeat that shattered their momentum. That loss opened the door for chaos. Since then, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Brentford have all beaten Liverpool, exposing weaknesses, confusion, and tactical uncertainty.
Now, as the League Cup approaches, Anfield is set for a cold, nervous Wednesday night. And the opponent waiting at the gates is again Crystal Palace—the same team that started this downward spiral. For Arne Slot, it feels like fate is testing him.
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He stood on the touchline at Brentford, his hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable. But deep down, the questions were burning. How had it gone wrong so fast? Why was his team crumbling under pressure? And how could he fix it with so many injuries haunting the squad?
The first name on the list of worries was Curtis Jones. The midfielder had been one of Liverpool’s bright spots in recent weeks—creative, full of energy, and carrying the spirit of a Scouser who understood what the badge meant. But against Brentford, that light dimmed. Midway through the match, Jones signaled to the bench. Something didn’t feel right. He didn’t need a stretcher; he walked off slowly, shaking his head. The cameras caught Slot whispering something to him as he passed by, maybe asking how bad it was. After the match, Slot’s words were cautious. “Curtis, we have to wait and see. He asked to be taken off, but he walked off instead of needing treatment.” It sounded small, but Liverpool fans knew what it meant. Another player might be gone. Another hole to fill.
Jones joined a growing list of absentees—Alisson Becker, Ryan Gravenberch, Giovanni Leoni, Jeremie Frimpong, and Alexander Isak. That’s six players. Six vital names across every department of the field. And each absence tells its own painful story.
Alisson’s injury has already shaken the defense. Without his calm presence and leadership, Liverpool’s backline has looked uncertain, shaky under pressure. Ryan Gravenberch, whose performances had begun to shine under Slot’s new system, has been missing in midfield—his physicality and drive sorely missed. Young defender Giovanni Leoni, brought in as a future star, has also been unavailable, while Jeremie Frimpong’s explosive pace down the right has left a gap that no one else can fill. And then there’s Alexander Isak, the big summer signing who was supposed to lead the line and terrorize defenses. His absence has left Liverpool blunt, struggling to turn possession into goals
Every injury adds another brick to the wall of frustration building around Arne Slot.
And now, he faces Crystal Palace again—the team that seems to know how to hurt him the most. Twice this season, Palace have frustrated Liverpool. Twice they have found a way to expose their weaknesses. Their organized defense, quick counterattacks, and fearless attitude have turned them into a nightmare opponent for Slot’s men.
The Carabao Cup, by itself, might not have been a top priority for Liverpool. But right now, it feels like a lifeline. A victory could lift spirits, ease tension, and give the fans something to believe in again. A loss, however, would deepen the wounds and make the noise around Slot even louder. Already, whispers are spreading among the fanbase. Is he really the right man? Does he understand Liverpool? Is he too soft, too calm, too unprepared for the emotional chaos that comes with managing this club?
Inside the dressing room, the mood is said to be tense. Players are confused, frustrated, and low on confidence. Some insiders say Slot’s tactical ideas haven’t yet connected with the squad. His demands for control and structure sometimes clash with the natural freedom and emotion Liverpool players are used to expressing. Klopp’s Liverpool thrived on chaos, on intensity, on wild pressing and emotional football. Slot’s version demands patience and positional play. But patience is hard to sell when defeats keep coming.
Wednesday night at Anfield could therefore be about more than just reaching the next round of a cup. It could be about survival. Slot needs a performance. He needs to see fight. He needs to see pride.
Fans remember the old Liverpool—hungry, fearless, unstoppable. They remember how Klopp turned despair into glory, how he made players like Jordan Henderson, Wijnaldum, and Robertson play like warriors. They want that fire back. They want a spark.
Slot, however, has always believed in calm rebuilding. He isn’t one to scream or throw bottles in the dressing room. His message to his players has reportedly been simple: trust the process, stay together, and fight for every ball. But football can be cruel to those who ask for time.
As the team prepares for the match, the tension is mixed with quiet hope. Maybe Anfield, under the floodlights, can once again become the healing ground. Maybe the Kop’s voice, echoing through the night, can awaken something deep inside the players.
The challenge is real. Crystal Palace arrive confident, well-drilled, and motivated to deepen Liverpool’s misery. They’ve beaten Slot’s men twice already. A third time would be a brutal message.
And for Slot, it’s not just about tactics anymore—it’s about belief, leadership, and pride. Can he stand tall under the pressure that comes with this badge? Can he inspire a wounded team to fight back against the odds? Wednesday night will give answers.
The fans will fill Anfield again, hoping not for perfection, but for fight. They know what this club means. They’ve seen darker days before. They’ve seen great managers fall and rise again. What they want now is a sign that Arne Slot’s Liverpool still has a heartbeat.
Because if this slide continues, the whispers will turn into shouts. And the man brought in to lead a new era might find himself facing the same questions that every manager at Liverpool faces when things go wrong—can you carry the weight of Anfield on your shoulders? The six injuries may be real, but the biggest wound lies in confidence. And confidence, in football, can heal only one way—by winning.
So, as the lights prepare to shine again on Wednesday night, one thing is certain: the next 90 minutes might define not just Liverpool’s cup journey, but the future of Arne Slot himself.
