Liverpool legend John Aldridge has warned that the Reds must rediscover their defensive resilience if they are to keep pace with Arsenal and Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.
Arne Slot’s side head into the international break on the back of a bruising week that brought three successive defeats to Galatasaray, Crystal Palace and Chelsea in what has become the Dutchman’s toughest spell since replacing Jürgen Klopp.
Liverpool’s 2-1 loss at Stamford Bridge on last Saturday allowed Arsenal to leapfrog them into first place, following Mikel Arteta’s side’s 2-0 victory over West Ham United earlier in the day. Slot’s team now sit a point behind the Gunners and two clear of Manchester City, but the mood around Merseyside is one of growing unease.
Performances have been patchy, with narrow wins often requiring late goals and a lack of control evident across several games. For Aldridge, that inconsistency stems from one fundamental issue: Liverpool’s inability to keep clean sheets.
“Please excuse me if I keep banging on about the same thing,” Aldridge wrote in his Liverpool Echo column. “But Liverpool really do need to remember how to keep a clean sheet.
“That’s the main difference between ourselves and Arsenal now. The Gunners aren’t really pulling up any trees, but their ability to keep things tight at the back means they always have a chance of winning games, which they are now starting to do.”
Aldridge believes Arsenal’s growing defensive stability under Arteta has given them a clear edge over Liverpool.
“They are the real worry for Liverpool in terms of the title race,” he continued. “Manchester City are dangerous and will always be a threat, but Arsenal are far more settled in terms of their line-up and what they are trying to do.”
Liverpool’s backline has undergone significant surgery this season following a summer of transition. The arrivals of full-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez marked the start of a new era after Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure to Real Madrid in June.
Kerkez, just 20, has started all seven of Liverpool’s league fixtures to date, edging ahead of Andy Robertson in the left-back pecking order. But the Liverpool vice captain made an impact off the bench against Chelsea, helping to lift the tempo before being caught out late on as Estevao Willian struck a stoppage-time winner.
On the opposite flank, Slot has rotated between Conor Bradley and Frimpong. Bradley, still regaining sharpness after a disrupted pre-season, has featured more prominently, while Frimpong remained sidelined with a hamstring problem sustained against Bournemouth in August.
The lack of continuity in those full-back roles, combined with an unsettled central pairing behind a newly structured midfield, has prevented Liverpool from establishing the defensive solidity that underpinned their best years under Klopp.
Across all competitions, Liverpool have kept just two clean sheets against Arsenal and Burnley. They’ve scored one fewer than the Gunners in the league but conceded six more, albeit against a tougher run of fixtures.
Slot has stressed the need for patience as new players adapt to his tactical system, but Aldridge insists a more pragmatic approach may be required if the reigning champions are to regain control of matches.
The schedule after the break offers little respite. Liverpool face Manchester United at Anfield on October 19 before league fixtures against Brentford and Aston Villa, and then a potentially pivotal trip to Manchester City in November.
For Aldridge, the equation is simple. To remain credible contenders Arne Slot side must rediscover their defensive discipline and fast.
