Liverpool dealt potential injury blow ahead of West Ham United clash | OneFootball

Slot analyses Ekitike setback as Liverpool suffer transition collapse

Liverpool’s latest defeat to PSV has intensified scrutiny around the team’s structural weaknesses, with Arne Slot offering a revealing breakdown of where the contest slipped away. His assessment placed particular emphasis on Hugo Ekitike, whose early injury disrupted the pressing patterns that underpin Liverpool’s approach.

Slot outlines contrasting halves in PSV clash

Slot’s post-match reflections drew a sharp contrast between the energy and organisation displayed before the interval and the downturn that followed. The manager pushed back on claims that PSV had dominated transition moments from the outset, arguing that Liverpool’s early reactions were far closer to expectations.

He highlighted how the side repeatedly regained possession high up the pitch, forcing PSV into extended periods inside their own half. It was, in his view, the framework he has been attempting to instil since arriving at Anfield.

Yet the tone changed substantially when he moved to the second half. Slot admitted that the side’s structure became fragile, with disjointed pressing contributing to the collapse that ultimately defined the night.

Photo: IMAGO

Ekitike injury complicates Liverpool’s forward options

Central to Slot’s explanation was Ekitike’s condition. The forward had shown promising movement during the opening stages, a point echoed by Sky Sports’ live commentary, which described his display as lively and purposeful. However, Slot revealed that the 23-year-old had been struggling almost immediately.

He explained that Ekitike reported significant discomfort in his back within the first 10 minutes, a problem that hindered his ability to press aggressively and stretch PSV’s back line. That limitation became more noticeable as the match wore on, prompting his eventual withdrawal.

The injury now presents Liverpool with another selection dilemma. Alexander Isak, who replaced him, again found it difficult to influence the match. With the Sweden international still building rhythm after his move to Merseyside, the burden continues to fall heavily on a forward group already thinned by injuries and inconsistency.

Defensive scrutiny adds to Slot’s challenges

Beyond the forward line, other areas of concern resurfaced. Milos Kerkez endured another turbulent evening at left-back, drawing criticism from former striker Adebayo Akinfenwa, who remarked publicly that the defender “needs to do and be better”. Kerkez has struggled to find consistent form since his arrival, and poor performances on transition-heavy days only heighten the pressure on Liverpool’s defensive shape.

These issues feed into a troubling statistic: this run of results marks Liverpool’s worst sequence since 1953. Every positional weakness has become magnified, and minor lapses are being severely punished.

Slot’s message ahead of pivotal fixtures

Slot maintained that the first half should not be overlooked. He argued that Liverpool executed the game plan with greater precision than outside observers might suggest, and that the team showed encouraging signs before injuries and structural lapses disrupted their rhythm.

Nonetheless, the second-half performance leaves little room for ambiguity. If Ekitike faces a spell on the sidelines and Isak remains short of peak fitness, Liverpool risk losing one of their few attackers capable of setting the press and stretching opponents. With Kerkez under intense scrutiny and several senior players still below their best, the collective level must rise quickly.

West Ham await next, and the manager knows that the stability of his transitional framework will dictate how swiftly Liverpool can regain momentum.