Slot Sounds Alarm Over Liverpool Set-Piece Woes Ahead of Festive Test

Arne Slot has delivered a blunt assessment of Liverpool’s weaknesses, admitting it should be impossible for his side to remain in the top-four conversation with their alarming record from set pieces.

Liverpool head into Christmas level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea but trailing on goal difference, a position built almost entirely on their dominance from open play rather than dead-ball situations. Their efficiency in possession has masked a growing vulnerability that Slot believes is holding the team back.

The numbers underline the concern. Liverpool have scored just three goals from set pieces in the league this season while conceding 11, leaving them with the worst balance among teams at the top end of the table. Slot made it clear that the contrast with their rivals is stark and increasingly frustrating.

Last season provides an uncomfortable comparison. At the halfway stage of their title-winning campaign, Liverpool had not conceded a single set-piece goal. This time, they are operating at minus eight, while Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United are all posting strong positive returns in the same metric.

Slot acknowledged that Liverpool’s league position owes much to their attacking output from open play, where they rank first for chances created. Still, he stressed that such an imbalance is unsustainable if the club’s ambitions extend beyond simply staying in touch with the top four.

Away from the tactical concerns, injuries continue to stretch an already thin squad. Alexander Isak has been ruled out for a couple of months following ankle surgery and a fracture to his lower left leg, compounding Liverpool’s problems during a demanding festive schedule.

There is cautious optimism over the availability of Cody Gakpo and Conor Bradley for the visit of Wolves, though Slot described both as fifty-fifty. Their potential returns would offer timely relief as Liverpool braces for a congested run of fixtures.

The absence list remains significant. Mohamed Salah is away at the Africa Cup of Nations, Joe Gomez is sidelined with a hamstring issue, Wataru Endo is nursing an ankle problem, and Dominik Szoboszlai is suspended. The combination leaves Slot relying heavily on depth players and the collective effort of the group.

Slot called on both players and supporters to respond in familiar fashion, urging those available to roll up their sleeves and meet the challenge head-on. The coming weeks, he suggested, will be as much about resilience as quality.

Speculation over a possible recall for Harvey Elliott has also been addressed. The midfielder has struggled for minutes during his loan spell at Aston Villa, but Liverpool are understood not to hold a recall clause in the agreement. The deal includes an obligation to buy for £35 million if certain appearance thresholds are met, a scenario that now appears unlikely.

As Liverpool navigate injuries, absences, and a critical flaw at set pieces, the festive period looms as a defining stretch. Whether their open-play brilliance can continue to compensate may determine not only their league position but also the trajectory of Slot’s first season at Anfield.