Only three Liverpool players ‘close to levels of last year’ as Reds given four areas to improve
Only three Liverpool players are “close to the levels of last year”, while only one new signing “has done well” this season, says ex-Reds midfielder Danny Murphy.
The champions slipped down to 11th in the Premier League after losing 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest.
It was another disastrous result and performance from Liverpool, who will hope to bounce back against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League this week.
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Huge questions are being asked about Arne Slot’s tactics and team selection, with several individuals being criticised for their poor performances.
Two players who have struggled this season, even when Liverpool were winning in the opening weeks, are defenders Ibrahima Konate and Milos Kerkez.
The former is out of contract at the end of the season and has been linked with Real Madrid, which could be impacting his performances.
Kerkez, meanwhile, was signed from Bournemouth for £40million in the summer transfer window and looks a shadow of his former self.
All of Liverpool’s summer signings have struggled all campaign, except for Hugo Ekitike, though he hasn’t registered a goal or assist in any of his last six league appearances.
Liverpool trio ‘close to levels of last year’ revealed
In fact, only three Liverpool players aren’t experiencing a major decline in form, according to Murphy.
Those players are Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Andy Robertson.
Analysing Liverpool’s struggles, former Reds midfielder Murphy singled out the trio and says head coach Slot “needs to take some responsibility”.
“The expectation is higher because of the amount of money invested was huge, even for Liverpool,” he said. “Slot is going to take a lot of stick over the next week or two. He’s going to be asked a lot of questions.
“The reality is that he is the manager and needs to take some responsibility but the players have to look in the mirror.
“Out of last year’s players, only Szoboszlai, Gravenberch and Robbo have gotten close to the levels of last year and that’s not good enough.
“Okay, there’s lots of different reasons and theories, but a lot of it’s mentality, you know, because you’ve won something and maybe the comfort zone a little bit because physically they’re not at it.”
Nottingham Forest are the first team to stop Liverpool from scoring in the Premier League at Anfield since Nottingham Forest in 2024. pic.twitter.com/oIvip1vWJX
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) November 22, 2025
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Murphy admitted that the players must also take responsibility and said Ekitike is the only new signing to do well this term.
“And only one of their new four or five top signings, Ekitike, has done well. So the players have to take some responsibility.
“Now what can Slot do? He’s got to make some huge decisions and that means leaving some big players out because back to basics is key.
“Defending better, working harder, being more physical, doing the hard yards – it sounds very basic stuff – but he’s got to pick his most physical 11 who he thinks are going to defend the best for him and start getting some points on the board, because if you keep losing games, he won’t be in a job.
“Don’t be thinking of titles and Champions League – it’s about the next game.”
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