Robbie Fowler has expressed doubts over Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes after their 3-0 defeat to Manchester City Fowler has rarely sounded so downbeat when speaking about Liverpool.
The former striker, usually one of the club’s most passionate and positive voices in the media, admits that even he is struggling to find encouragement in what he’s seen from Arne Slot’s side over recent weeks.
The former striker, who scored 183 goals for the club explains Liverpool’s latest defeat a comprehensive 3-0 loss at Manchester City means that any realistic hopes of retaining their title have already evaporated.
“I got asked yesterday before the game, ‘are Liverpool out of that little bit of a rut?’” Fowler said on The Good, The Bad and The Football Podcast.
“And I went, ‘well, don’t get carried away.’ I mean, they beat Aston Villa, but for 45 minutes Liverpool weren’t great, and they beat Madrid. So it’s only 45 minutes in a league game where they’ve played relatively OK. I think they’re out of the title race.”
Seven defeats in their last ten matches across all competitions have left the defending champions seven points adrift of the top two, and for Fowler, it was another performance that exposed how far they have fallen from the ruthless, efficient side that started the season.
For a player who built a reputation as “God” on the Kop and who has often defended Liverpool even in difficult moments it was a remarkably stark admission.
But Fowler’s comments reflect a wider concern, even within the club, that Liverpool’s season is drifting towards mediocrity just months after it promised so much.
Back in August, few would have predicted such a collapse. Liverpool began the defence of their title with five straight wins, playing with energy, precision, and confidence that seemed to suggest continuity, not change, would define the post-Klopp era.
Slot, who arrived from Feyenoord amid excitement over his tactical acumen, immediately oversaw a bright start and ultimately won the Premier League title in his first season in England that showcased slick attacking combinations and strong defensive coordination.
The Dutchman was backed heavily in the transfer market, with more than £400 million spent on a sweeping rebuild of the squad.
But what looked like shrewd investment now appears increasingly excessive. The chemistry between the new arrivals and the established core has been inconsistent at best.
There have been flashes of quality the home win over Aston Villa, the Champions League victory over Real Madrid but they have been isolated moments rather than signs of genuine recovery.
The defeat at the Etihad laid bare those fragilities. Manchester City were everything Liverpool were not: composed, coherent, and ruthless. Pep Guardiola’s side dictated the rhythm of the game almost from the first whistle, repeatedly exposing gaps between Liverpool’s midfield and defence.
Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku toyed with the backline, while City’s midfield trio controlled possession almost at will. Liverpool’s attempts to press high were bypassed with ease, leaving their defenders vulnerable and their attack starved of meaningful service.
By the time the third goal went in, many of the travelling supporters were already resigned to the outcome a scenario that would have been unthinkable just a year ago.
Fowler’s critique was not rooted in negativity, but in realism. He has always tried to view Liverpool’s fortunes with perspective, and for him, the problem is not just the recent results — it’s the pattern behind them.
“They’ve had good moments in games, but that’s all they’ve been — moments,” he said. “When you’re competing for titles, you can’t be good for 45 minutes and then disappear for the next 45. Against Villa, the first half was poor. Against Madrid, they were better but not dominant. At City, they were second best from the first minute. That’s not a team ready to win the league.”
It’s not just the scorelines that worry Fowler, but the manner of Liverpool’s play. The control, intensity, and tactical cohesion that defined Klopp’s best sides and which Slot hoped to evolve rather than abandon have evaporated.
For all the talk of tactical evolution, Fowler believes it ultimately comes down to mentality.
“It’s about consistency, it’s about desire,” he said. “You can see what City have every game, they approach it with the same level of professionalism. Liverpool have the quality, but right now they don’t have that mentality to sustain it for 90 minutes or for months at a time.”
If Liverpool’s title defence is to be revived, the next five league fixtures will be pivotal. Slot’s men face Nottingham Forest, West Ham, Sunderland, Leeds United and Brighton a run that, on paper, offers the chance to rebuild confidence and momentum.
But Fowler is under no illusions about what’s required.
“These are the games that define seasons,” he said. “If Liverpool want to keep themselves in the conversation, they’ve got to win all five. Nothing less. You can’t afford any more slips. If they don’t, then they can kiss the title goodbye.”
For Fowler, who has lived through Liverpool’s highs and lows as both player and supporter, the hope remains that a turnaround is possible but even his optimism is being tested.
“There’s still time to put things right,” he said. “Football can change quickly. You get a few wins, the mood shifts, confidence comes back. But based on what we’ve seen in recent weeks, it’s hard to see them being in the running come the end of the season.”
As the team trudged off the pitch at the Etihad, heads bowed and shoulders slumped, it was difficult to disagree with him. For all the money spent and the early-season promise, Liverpool’s title defence is slipping away and even one of their greatest sons is no longer convinced they can find their way back.
