Liverpool are missing big chances at one end and leaking goals at the other, with their latest draw meaning that they have kept just three clean sheets in their last 13 league games.
It feels a bit like when Bill Shankly said, “Here we are with problems at the top of the league,” but this one could do with being addressed.
By conceding two goals at Aston Villa on Wednesday evening, Liverpool now have just three clean sheets across their last 13 Premier League games.
In that time, they have conceded a total of 17 goals, which accounts for 65.38 percent of all goals across their league season to date under Arne Slot.
It is placing unnecessary pressure on Liverpool’s forward line, which relies heavily on Mo Salah, to continually score two or more goals if the Reds are to collect all three points.
Putting pressure on the forwards
With the help of FotMob, we know that Slot’s side have conceded the 17 goals from a total of 45 shots on target across the 13 matches – that is essentially a goal every 3.4 shots on target.
Per FotMob, we know Liverpool do not readily gift their opponent clear-cut chances as they have the second-lowest xG conceded (24.1) across the league.
The metric tells us how likely a team is to concede a goal based on the quality and volume of chances a team allows the opponent to create, and currently only Arsenal rank higher (21.6).
Liverpool’s recent defensive run includes Newcastle (three goals conceded), Fulham (two), Tottenham (three), Leicester (zero), West Ham (zero), Man United (two), Forest (one), Brentford (zero), Ipswich (one), Bournemouth (zero), Everton (two), Wolves (one) and Aston Villa (two).
Thankfully, Liverpool have not lost during the abovementioned run but they have been made to settle for six draws – which accounts for 75 percent of the times they have dropped points.
It is becoming a theme for the Reds to concede from avoidable situations and it means they are not achieving the results they deserve, as Slot emphasised after the 2-2 draw at Villa.
“What we must not do, and have done a bit too often now, is that we don’t get what we deserve,” he told reporters.
“If you look at all the chances, if you put them in a row from us and them, I think it’s clear which team should have won this game and we must not make a habit out of that because it happened a bit too much now.”
Liverpool did extend their lead over Arsenal to eight points, but this is proving a period of the season that Slot is learning plenty about his defence, as a unit and individuals.
It goes without saying, though, that a clean sheet at Man City on Sunday would be greatly appreciated by all!
* FotMob is an essential app for every fan to keep up to date with their team or follow football worldwide. Their incredible new features provide all you could ever want and information you never knew you needed! You can download the FotMob App here.
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