There has been a general acceptance across the opening weeks of the 2025/26 season that Liverpool have not quite clicked into gear yet.
Arne Slot’s side have struggled to control games and win comfortably, instead drawing upon their deep-rooted winning mentality to come up trumps in the late stages of fixtures.
But against Crystal Palace in the Premier League last weekend, the Reds were on the receiving end of a last-minute winner, ending their flawless start. And in the Champions League on Tuesday night, in Istanbul, Liverpool were soundly beaten by Galatasaray.
Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have been pillars of strength for so many years for the Anfield side, but these veteran talismans need some support. They need some younger Liverpool superstars to step up and accept some responsibility.
Liverpool's leaders need more support
Much has been made of Liverpool’s defensive fragility this season, but the blame cannot be attributed to the captain. Van Dijk has been as redoubtable as ever at the rear, but he’s been failed by unpolished full-backs and an error-stricken partner in Ibrahima Konate, who was woeful once again against Galatasaray.
Salah is 33 years old, and he practically hauled Liverpool’s frontline to the Premier League title last season, scoring 34 goals and supplying 23 more across all competitions.
Yes, he’s not been at his sharpest or liveliest this season, but he hasn’t exactly been helped out by a fully functioning frontline and a robust and active build-up system behind him.
The Egyptian King was benched for the midweek European clash, but this shift mattered little as Liverpool toiled away and lacked any sense of fluency.
There was one man whose poor performance perhaps went under the radar, but whose performance was the most detrimental of the lot.
Ryan Gravenberch has been a revelation under Slot’s wing, but he suffered a truly wretched showing against Galatasaray.
Gravenberch's worst game under Slot
Gravenberch has been incredible since Slot replaced Klopp in the Liverpool dugout. The disparity in performance between the Dutchman’s first two terms in the Premier League bears testament to that.
Matches (starts)
26 (12)
37 (37)
Goals
1
0
Assists
0
4
Touches*
28.8
66.5
Pass completion
83%
89%
Key passes*
0.6
0.7
Dribbles*
0.9
1.0
Ball recoveries*
2.8
5.2
Tackles + interceptions*
1.5
3.5
Total duels (won)*
2.8 (47%)
5.0 (57%)
Already the 23-year-old has scored two goals and assisted one more in the Premier League this term, making gains in advancements and beginning to add an invaluable dimension to his game.
It goes without saying that Gravenberch, the 24/25 Hublot Young Premier League Player of the Year, is crucial to the Slot machine operating at full capacity.
And so it’s no surprise that his poor showing in Turkey directly impeded Liverpool in their build-up play and their control – or lack thereof – in the centre of the park.
Indeed, courtesy of data from Sofascore, Gravenberch lost 85% of his duels on the evening (five out of six), and failed to make even a tackle or interception in spite of the hosts’ relentless press.
He was hooked shortly after the hour mark. While Slot will have had one eye on the strip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday, it also begs the question as to whether the coach had seen enough and felt a tactical change was needed too.
Journalist Beth Lindop remarked only a few weeks ago that “he’s on par with Salah and Van Dijk as Liverpool’s most important players.”
This remains true, but perhaps shines a brighter light on his importance. If Gravenberch has an off-day, Liverpool are currently lacking the answers to overcome that ever-larger hurdle.