Liverpool’s 100% Start Masks Defensive Flaws as Palace Looms | OneFootball

Five games, five wins. Liverpool sit perfectly at the top of the Premier League table. Arne Slot couldn’t have asked for more in terms of results, and supporters have every reason to be excited. But peel back the scorelines and the story shifts. The victories have been narrow, the margins fine, and the defence has looked vulnerable enough to raise questions.

The key debate after this perfect start is simple: are Liverpool built to sustain this run, or is the lack of defensive control eventually going to catch up with them?

Fragile Defense

Much of the focus this summer was on transition. Trent Alexander-Arnold left for Real Madrid, a move that not only removed Liverpool’s most creative defender but also forced a full structural rethink. Slot responded decisively, bringing in Jeremie Frimpong from Leverkusen and Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth to reshape the full-back roles.

The early signs are promising going forward. Frimpong’s pace and directness give Liverpool a completely different threat on the right, while Kerkez provides balance on the left with energy and aggression. But defensively, the chemistry isn’t yet there. Both like to push forward, and the space they leave has exposed Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate to more one-on-one duels than is comfortable.

Van Dijk remains a presence, but his aura isn’t what it was. Konaté still struggles with fitness. Alisson has been called into action far too often in the opening five matches, and while the Brazilian has bailed Liverpool out repeatedly, leaning on your goalkeeper is not a sustainable model for a title push.

If the defence is shaky, the attack has been the safety net. But even here, the story is uneven.

Promising Offense

Hugo Ekitiké has been the standout among the new arrivals. Quick, fearless, and clinical, he has scored important goals and given Liverpool an unpredictability they lacked last season. But his senseless red card in the last League Cup match means he will miss Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace, exactly the kind of away fixture where his pace and directness would have been useful.

Record signing Alexander Isak has shown only glimpses so far. After making his debut against Atlético Madrid in Europe, he featured again versus Southampton, but it’s clear he is still building sharpness. His link-up play looks promising, and his movement stretches defences, but the clinical edge hasn’t quite arrived yet. Liverpool know his ceiling is high the question is how quickly he gets there.

Florian Wirtz, meanwhile, has struggled to adapt. The German playmaker’s quality is obvious in flashes of tight control, vision between the lines but he has not yet imposed himself on matches the way Slot would have hoped. Adjusting to the physicality and tempo of the Premier League is proving a challenge, and for now, his role remains more potential than production.

The constant remain Mohamed Salah’s reliability and the sheer variety of Liverpool’s options in attack. But the truth is this forward line is still gelling.

A Question of Control

But the question lingers – can attack carry Liverpool all the way? Five victories suggest yes, but the performances hint at a dangerous tightrope and Premier League history suggests this cannot be the long-term plan.

Arsenal and Manchester City, Liverpool’s two main rivals don’t just win, they control. They suffocate games, restrict opponents to scraps, and grind out clean sheets. Liverpool, by contrast, look open. They concede chances, rely on big saves, and often have to score multiple times just to secure the points.

Slot’s philosophy is bold, and in time the new back line may settle. But, right now, the balance leans heavily towards attack, and that makes every game a risk. Against bottom-half opposition, it’s manageable. Against top sides in the months ahead, those cracks could be decisive.

Arsenal’s rise last season was defined by defensive structure. Even Liverpool’s own title-winning side in 2019/20 were built on resilience at the back as much as firepower up front.

The contrast is clear. Slot’s side are winning with moments, not yet with structure.

That can work for a while especially with the depth of talent Slot has in forward areas. But over the course of a 38-game season, the danger is obvious.

Tough Trip to South London

The trip to Selhurst Park this Saturday is the first genuine test of Liverpool’s resilience. Palace away is rarely straightforward, and without Ekitike, Slot will have to decide whether to start the still-rusty Isak or lean on Gakpo in a central role. Wirtz’s adjustment curve means more responsibility again falls to Salah, who has carried Liverpool through countless tight moments already.

Five wins from five is the mark of contenders. It builds belief, puts pressure on rivals, and creates the kind of momentum that can fuel a genuine challenge. But it also risks disguising the weaknesses that remain.

Without Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool look more conventional defensively, but not necessarily more secure. Van Dijk still carries huge responsibility, and the midfield protection remains inconsistent. The attack will continue to win matches, but if Liverpool want this flawless opening to evolve into a lasting title push, they must tighten the back line and reduce the reliance on late, decisive moments.

For now, the firepower has been enough. The question is whether it can continue to cover the cracks once the fixtures tighten starting with Palace away this weekend.

Perfect on paper, fragile in reality. That is Liverpool through five games