BOURNEMOUTH, England — If there was a Premier League trophy for self-sabotage, it would surely have Liverpool's name on it. Time and time again this season, Arne Slot's side have been the architects of their own downfall, and it was true again on Saturday when they succumbed to a late 3-2 defeat to AFC Bournemouth.
All the positive momentum generated by the 3-0 victory over Marseille in the UEFA Champions League in midweek was washed away by rain on the south coast when Amine Adli's 95th-minute winner secured all three points for the hosts at the Vitality Stadium.
Virgil van Dijk led Liverpool's protests as the red-and-blacks walked away celebrating, but there was no late respite from VAR and, not for the first time this season, Slot's men had only themselves to blame.
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When Dominik Szoboszlai scored a stunning free kick in the 80th minute to draw Liverpool level, it felt as if the pendulum was, for the first time in the game, about to swing in the visitors' favor. But, with neither team settling for a point, chances came and went at both ends of the field before Adli beat goalkeeper Alisson Becker with one of the last shots of the game.
The Moroccan international's goal ended Liverpool's unconvincing 13-game unbeaten run and once again increased the pressure on coach Slot. With only four points gained from the last 15 available, the Reds have given up more ground in the race for Champions League qualification. They could drop to eighth place in the table if all their rivals win their respective matches on Sunday afternoon.
Slot's team is still looking for its first league victory in 2026 and has only picked up two points this season after losing positions. On the contrary, they had come back to add 23 points at the end of the last campaign, having added 29 points from losing positions in 2023-24.
In many ways, Liverpool's problems all season were summed up in a painful seven-minute period in the first half, in which they conceded two goals and lost defender Joe Gomez to injury. Bournemouth's first goal came against the run of play after Van Dijk's botched clearance fell to Alex Scott, who set up Evanilson to finish from close range.
Slot later defended his captain by offering the strong winds inside the stadium as mitigation for his error, although it is not the first time this season that an individual error has cost Liverpool dearly. The visitors' frustration was compounded when a collision between Alisson and Gómez as they attempted to clear the ball resulted in the latter being kicked off the field.
Inexplicably, Liverpool failed to kick the ball out of play to allow a substitution, despite Slot's emphatic protests on the touchline, so when makeshift central defender Wataru Endo entered the field in the 33rd minute, they were 2-0 down thanks to a clever strike from Álex Jiménez.
“There were only seven minutes where I wouldn't even say we were suffering, but the other team was also part of the game and in those seven minutes we conceded two,” Slot said in his post-match press conference.
“Of course, the second was when we were down to 10 for the first goal.
“Joe Gomez had to leave with an injury. He wanted to try. He thought he could, but then he couldn't. And maybe that sums up our season. Every time something different happens, every time something special happens, that's when we concede. But we concede and the only ones to blame are ourselves.”
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of Saturday's defeat for Slot will be the fact that his team recovered from that first-half storm to restore parity, with Van Dijk reducing the deficit with a fine header from a corner on the stroke of half-time.
Slot has repeatedly lamented his team's lack of effectiveness at set pieces this season, and Van Dijk's goal was only the second Liverpool have scored from a corner in 118 attempts in the Premier League. Szoboszlai's second-half goal was the result of another set-piece situation, although the balance of the Reds' set-pieces suffered a further blow when Adli scored the winning goal with a long shot.
Only Bournemouth (17) have conceded more goals from set pieces than Liverpool (14) this season. Adli's goal was also the fifth goal the Reds have conceded after the 90th minute in the top flight this season, with all of those goals coming in losses or one-goal draws.
“Conceding a goal is always frustrating, especially if there is no time left to get back into the game,” Slot said.
“But I think it's safe to say that [Bournemouth] He also could have scored 3-2 a little earlier. What I mean by this is that I think after scoring 2-2 we were still trying, but it's safe to say that some of our players ran out of energy, and I can't even fault them for that because two days ago we had to play an away game in Europe.
“We are the only team that played in the Champions League that had two days of difference after an away game, another away game against one of the most intense teams in the league. And I, as you will probably see, play mainly with the same players because of the players we have available.”
Slot is right to highlight the paucity of options currently available to you. Gomez's injury means Liverpool are left with just two fit senior centre-backs, one of whom, Ibrahima Konaté, is currently on compassionate leave following the death of his father.
Striker Hugo Ekitike was called up to the bench against Bournemouth in a bid to manage his minutes, and Slot is keen to ensure he does not overload his only veteran centre-forward as Alexander Isak continues to recover from a broken leg. Both Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez also had to be substituted on Saturday to preserve their fitness.
With so few options to choose from and such intense, fast-paced games, it appears that Liverpool are taking a big risk if they decide not to strengthen the squad before the transfer window closes on February 2.
The fact that Andy Robertson had to play 45 minutes at left back after Kerkez retired also indicates that it would be a gamble to let him leave for Tottenham Hotspur this month.
In more ways than one, Liverpool remain a fragile beast. The physical and mental resilience that underpinned their title last season has seemingly deserted them this season and there has been little sign that the tide is about to turn, with promising displays too often backed by plodding, error-ridden performances.
After the final whistle on Saturday, Slot and his players left the field soaked to the skin. Certainly, when it rains for Liverpool this season, it pours.
