Liverpool sit six points off the top of the table having squandered the opportunity to cut the points gap at the top against Manchester United

Liverpool sit six points off the top of the table having squandered the opportunity to cut the points gap at the top against Manchester United

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, December 27, 2020: Liverpool's Andy Robertson looks dejected after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and West Bromwich Albion FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool have played terribly since the latter end of December to put it bluntly. They look creatively bereft and seem simply incapable of goals. They will need to pick themselves up quick in order to mount a defense of their Premier League title (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool and Manchester United played out a goalless draw at Anfield and with that Liverpool missed an opportunity to catch up with them. The red side of Merseyside have not won their last four games and as a result have dropped 9 points which has pushed them down the table. Liverpool currently sit at 4th place in the Premier League table with only one point more than 5th placed Tottenham Hotspur. Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and West Ham United are all close on the heels of them and Liverpool might want to start winning soon.

1 goal in the last 4 games is a nightmare scenario for the world’s most fearsome front three

The goals have dried up for Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane and with the goals have dried up for Liverpool itself. Sadio Mane was the last person to score for Liverpool and since then no one else has stepped up to score goals for the team. Liverpool have been severely handicapped by the absence of all their centre-backs which has forced them to play their two most influential midfielders as centre-backs. Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams have been inducted into the senior squad but they look out of their place in the Premier League without any experience.

Since Fabinho and Jordan Henderson have dropped back to be centre-backs, Liverpool have been lacking at the middle of the park. Their most creative midfielder Thiago Alcantara has been forced to play deep while Naby Keita is persistently injured and never fit. With Thiago Alcantara sitting deep, his creative passes are missing as Gini Wijnaldum is just not taking any initiative at all in passing the ball forward. They face Burnley next who are one of the most resolute teams in defence and love to sit back with a low block- something that Liverpool has been struggling against in the last four games.

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The next few games are also not favourable for Liverpool as Manchester United in the FA Cup is followed by Tottenham, West Ham United, Brighton, Manchester City, Leicester City, RB Leipzig and Everton. Liverpool could be absolutely out of the title race and not even be challenging for the top 4 this season if their form continues like this. They need to wake up from their slump and start scoring goals to win matches in order to climb up the table again.

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