Our Liverpool fan jury have their say on all the biggest Reds talking points of the past week
Rhys Buchanan, James Noble and Andrew Cullen
06:00, 31 Oct 2025
Arne Slot applauds the Liverpool fans following the Carabao Cup defeat to Crystal Palace at Anfield(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
As far as months go, it’s not been a great one for Liverpool and Arne Slot. They have three huge games on the horizon to put things right.
A much-changed side limped out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday against Crystal Palace. While the performance was poor, Slot will be hoping for a reaction from his senior players after a full week to recuperate; it’s Aston Villa next up at Anfield on Saturday evening.
The big games keep coming after that, with Real Madrid in the Champions League at home on Tuesday and a trip to Manchester City on Sunday week. The next few days have all the hallmarks of a season-defining week for the out-of-sorts Premier League holders.
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This week, our jurors look back at what has gone wrong and what needs to be done to set things right.
Rhys Buchanan
It’s not the first time this season I’ve been reminded of that viral Mick McCarthy clip where he’s asked post-match: ‘It can’t go on like this can it?’ Only for him to summon the brutal wide-eyed response of: ‘It can’.
While I certainly haven’t lost any sleep over our Wednesday night, I’m still somewhat conflicted about slumping to yet another defeat regardless of the starting eleven and the bench. Given the torrid run we’ve been on over the last month, you can’t help but feel that The Reds could just do without losing games right now, especially three-nil at home to a team who has already beaten us twice this season already.
Leaving our big guns out of the squad was a clearly a decision made by the manager and considering our punishing schedule on the road recently, I completely understand it heading into a daunting week ahead of Villa, Real Madrid and Manchester City.
That’s all well and good so long as we turn up refreshed on Saturday and get the three points we desperately need. As Klopp once said during a tough run, ‘Confidence is a fragile flower’ but the lads need to see this big week ahead as an opportunity now. We need to string together a few wins otherwise we’re going to be left picking through the wreckage of this season if results don’t start coming soon.
Andrew Cullen
And the hits keep on coming. Another defeat and another defeat and another defeat.
Yes, the EFL cup is not our main target this year. Yes, cup competitions are great for squad rotation and youth opportunity. But with the alarm bells ringing after an alarming start to the season, and with confidence seemingly in free-fall, the midweek cup tie against Palace felt like an opportune game to return to winning ways. If a full-strength team was ill-advised, could we have not gone for a better blend of experience?
The game against Villa was always going to be a high-pressured game, but rather than cooling fan angst, a further defeat has turned up the temperature.
There are some small sections of the fan base who are questioning Slot’s suitability. It’s far too early to be engaging in those questions, but it is right that eyes should be firmly on Slot now to see how he reacts to this stormy sea of form.
Outwardly it looks like Liverpool are bereft of ideas to rescue this drop in form, but I have some faint hope that inwardly Slot is working meticulously behind the scenes to find the right alchemy to shift our fortunes.
I keep retuning to the tragic loss of Diogo Jota as the main reason for the malaise within the team this year, but I also have a niggling itch that whilst this may be a significant contributor, our dip in performance feels structural and tactical, rather than just emotional.
A win against Villa and Madrid would surely start to free us from the stormy clouds that have set over Anfield.
James Noble
While Anfield emptied rapidly in the latter stages of Wednesday’s 3-0 Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Crystal Palace, it remained encouraging to hear the backing given by supporters to the much-changed Liverpool side. After another chastening few days, accompanied by justifiable questions and criticism, retaining a level of unity and empathy – particularly within the ground – feels both valuable and sensible.
Saturday’s defeat at Brentford wasn’t without positives but highlighted increasingly familiar vulnerabilities, while the heavy midweek rotation appeared understandable with the bigger picture in mind. Simultaneously, particularly given the result, it heightens the scrutiny on upcoming displays; benefits from rest and training ought to be visible against Aston Villa and Real Madrid on Saturday and Tuesday night respectively.
Improvements on the pitch are a necessity – some will likely take longer to materialise than others. Against strong opponents, it’s just the kind of scenario where a booming Anfield can come to the fore and supercharge that process.
Arne Slot speaking of how Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté swiftly headed down the tunnel to speak to Amara Nallo after the 18-year-old’s red card was a heartwarming reminder of the strong culture that’s been built in recent years. Calvin Ramsay’s display was also among the evening’s points of encouragement. Collective sturdiness in times of challenge has the potential to strengthen said culture further.
