There's no sugarcoating it: Liverpool are officially at their lowest point since Arne Slot's arrival.
A 3-0 defeat to Manchester City left the Reds with five losses in their first 11 league games, making them the first defending champions to start this poorly since Chelsea in 2015/16—and already exceeding their total defeats from 2024–25.
The recent Champions League win over Real Madrid, like the thrashing of Frankfurt, now seems to be just a brief flicker of hope amid the many issues currently plaguing the team’s form as seen in the City match, like a wildly inconsistent defense and a lack of production from big names up front like Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz.
But, for as tempting as it might be to write off the Premier League campaign and focus on Europe—especially with the Reds already eight points behind Arsenal—Liverpool’s upcoming fixtures could offer a final opportunity to claw their way back into the title race if they emerge from the international break with genuine intent to defend their crown.
Who's up next?
Coming out of the break, Liverpool's fixture list reads as follows: Nottingham Forest (H),
West Ham United (A), Sunderland (H), Leeds United (A) and Brighton & Hove Albion (H).
Each matchup presents its own challenges, but with four of those five sides currently sitting 11th or lower in the table, it’s a favorable stretch and one that offers a crucial opportunity for the Reds to rack up points and reignite the team.
A closer look shows that Liverpool’s next five opponents have amassed a combined 65 points so far this season.
By comparison, Arsenal’s upcoming five opponents have totaled 74 points, while Manchester City’s have 70—underscoring that the Reds’ rivals face a noticeably tougher stretch ahead.
If Liverpool can win five from five while the two clear title challengers drop points in two or three games, the Reds could very feasibly be back in business.
Obviously, even with a favorable run of fixtures, Liverpool will need to raise their level of performance and are at the mercy of the frontrunners.
But considering the fighting spirit ingrained in this club’s DNA, there’s every reason to believe the Reds will look to capitalize on a schedule that, at least on paper, appears relatively forgiving.
How will the results look?
Liverpool kick off their return from the international break by hosting Nottingham Forest, a side they were unable to beat last season.
Perhaps fortunately for the Reds, while they’ve faced significant struggles this season, last year’s surprise team has hit an even steeper skid.
After a miraculous run to qualify for the Europa League under former boss Nuno Espírito Santo, his highly questionable sacking appears to have taken a toll on the squad, with Forest now languishing in 19th place.
Forest have now turned to Sean Dyche to steady the ship following a disastrous spell under Ange Postecoglu after Nuno’s departure, —and the new manager has already made his mark, securing a draw with Manchester United and a win over Leeds.
Forest’s low block caused Liverpool plenty of headaches last season, and with Dyche’s defense-first approach, the Reds could face similar challenges when the teams meet on Nov. 22.
With Forest’s recent struggles and Liverpool’s sense that starting the post-international break stretch with a win is absolutely essential, I'll back the Reds to claim a 1-0 victory in a match they’ll likely need to grind out to restore their confidence.
Next up is a trip to London to face West Ham. Liverpool have been miserable on the road this season, but with the Hammers severely underperforming and sitting in 18th, this could be the match to finally end that horrible run.
Losses away to Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Brentford, and Manchester City account for four of Liverpool’s five Premier League defeats this season.
Assuming they secure a win against Forest, the club will likely view a victory over West Ham side as crucial for maintaining momentum and ending their poor run away from Anfield.
Last season’s trip to the London Stadium was a smashing success for the Reds, who ran out 5-0 winners. While it’s unlikely Slot’s men will replicate such a comprehensive victory given their shaky form, they’ve recently shown they can still take care of business against West Ham.
The club will also likely feel pressure to deliver another comfortable result, like the one against Aston Villa.
With all of this taken into account I'll pick the Reds in this one to make it two straight victories with a 3-1 win.
Then comes what will be, in my opinion, the trickiest match of the upcoming run; a date with Sunderland at Anfield.
Much like Forest being last season’s “surprise” team, Sunderland have exceeded all expectations in their first Premier League campaign since 2017. The Black Cats currently sit fourth, with one more point than Liverpool have managed so far this season.
In addition to their remarkable form, Sunderland recently scored twice against an Arsenal side that rarely concedes, earning a 2-2 draw with the Gunners and giving the Black Cats every reason to be brimming with confidence.
Sunderland aren’t just a newly promoted side with little experience, either. Granit Xhaka is in the midst of a career revival at his new club, and his captaincy could help steady the Black Cats’ nerves as they visit a place like Anfield for the first time in nearly a decade.
Regis Le Bris’ side has been nothing short of spectacular this year, which is why I’m settling on another 2-2 draw between these two clubs in what promises to be a fascinating encounter.
Following the Sunderland match, Liverpool will then prepare to play Leeds away, as the fellow newly promoted side currently sit in 16th place.
Elland Road is always a tricky place to play, so it shouldn't be an easy outing for the Reds. But after the real possibility of dropped points against Sunderland, Liverpool will be eager to do everything they can to secure three wins from four.
As noted earlier, Liverpool’s defense has been completely erratic this season, but they could greatly benefit from facing a Leeds side that sits in the bottom three for goals scored, managing just 10 so far.
The lack of potency in Leeds' attack is a good sign for a positive result, but the attack will still need to show up, as they've failed to score from open play since the win vs. Villa.
I believe this game is there for the taking. While it should feature some tense moments, I’m backing the Reds for a 2-1 victory.
Finally, Arne Slot’s squad will host Brighton, currently in 11th place, for the final match of this pivotal run.
When the Reds hosted the Seagulls last season, a comeback 2-1 victory convinced me that Liverpool could truly go on to win the league. Can they rekindle that same belief and extend a much-needed five-game unbeaten run?
Brighton cannot be taken lightly, having won the last meeting between these sides 3-2. Granted, Liverpool weren’t at full throttle with the title already secured, but Fabian Hürzeler has shown he can prepare his team effectively for this fixture.
The Seagulls have been a middling side this season, and while veterans like Danny Welbeck and James Milner have offered steady leadership, Brighton have also yet to win a league game at Anfield since February 2021.
A victory here could be the spark that reignites hope, which is why I’m predicting a 2-0 win for the Reds.
If all of these results go as predicted, the Reds could take 13 points from a possible 15. While they can only hope for rivals to drop points, it’s an extremely promising scenario given their current form.
On the other hand, if two or more losses continue to pile up during this stretch, they can essentially kiss their title defense goodbye, making this the most crucial run of the season.