Arne Slot is running into a DISASTER he can't prevent

Liverpool have found themselves defying expectations halfway through Arne Slot’s maiden season at Anfield.

The Reds currently sit top of the both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League tables and are also in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup and the fourth round of the FA Cup.

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This level of early success under Slot wasn’t something that many Liverpool supporters expected going into the campaign, let alone rival fans, but the Reds have looked like one of the best teams in Europe.

Slot’s side has suffered a dip in form since the start of December however, meaning there is a real risk that the wheels could fall off Liverpool’s charge for trophies, and the ongoing contract saga at the club could be to blame.

The ongoing contract situation at Liverpool

It is no secret that the Reds are in danger of losing three of their best players at the end of the season.

Captain Virgil van Dijk, vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold and talisman Mohamed Salah all have less than six months remaining on their current deals and have been free to talk to oversees clubs about a pre-contract agreement since 1 January.

Negotiations are reportedly ongoing to keep all three at Anfield beyond the end of the season, but progress is clearly stalling, and the bleak prospect of all three departing on free transfers is setting in.

Although this saga has been ongoing since the very start of Slot’s Liverpool reign, as the summer edges closer the severity of the situation may be beginning to dawn on the Reds.

Liverpool excellent start to the season

Slot’s side won 11 of their opening 13 Premier League matches, also winning their opening six Champions League games.

This was a phenomenal start that no one expected, and it seemed as though the potentially catastrophic contract situation was having very little effect on Liverpool on the pitch.

The Reds looked extremely solid at the back, something they had struggled with in their final season under Jurgen Klopp, and multiple players had clearly stepped up their game under the new management.

With Manchester City suffering a severe drop in form, it looked as though Liverpool’s path to their 20th league title was clear.

Liverpool’s drop in form

Since winning 11 of their opening 13 Premier League games, the Reds have only won three of their last seven in the competition.

Liverpool also only conceded eight goals in their opening 13 games but have let in 12 in their last seven matches.

On top of this, Slot’s side have left themselves with work to do after a disappointing performance saw them lose 1-0 to Tottenham in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.

Every team in world football will have a tough spell at some point this season, when form and results both take a dip, but Liverpool’s recent run has put their charge for all four trophies in serious danger.

Has Liverpool’s form dropped off because of the contract saga?

Since Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold have been able to begin negotiating with oversees clubs, 1 January, Liverpool have only won one of their four matches in all competitions – an FA Cup third round tie against League Two Accrington Stanley.

It could just be that the Reds inevitable dip in form coincidentally coincides with this date, but there is more to the story.

Trent Alexander-Arnold put in a worryingly disappointing display against Manchester United when Liverpool drew 2-2 with the Red Devils on 5 January, notably not winning a single duel and drawing plenty of criticism online after the match.

Salah has also looked off his game in the Reds loss to Spurs and Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest, leading to the suggestion that his mind may already be on a move to Saudi Arabia.

Again, it may be a coincidence that Salah and Trent have had ‘off games’ just days after they were able to begin talking to other clubs, but there does seem to be some correlation here.

How bad could things get for Liverpool?

Liverpool’s stellar start to the season means that, even after a dip in form, they still sit in a very comfortable position.

Qualification to the round of 16 in the Champions League is almost guaranteed and the Reds have plenty of time to prepare for the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Tottenham on 6 February.

Things may appear to be getting harder for Slot but he has time to turn it around and rediscover the excellent form that got his side into such a promising position to begin with.

To do so however, Slot must ensure that all of his players remain focussed solely on the task at hand and that the contract saga, whatever the outcome may be, does not having a season defining impact on Liverpool.

The ongoing contract situation may not be the root cause of the Reds’ dip in form, but the sooner it is sorted the better, and Liverpool supporters will be hoping their side can make Slot’s first season one full of trophy success.

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