Liverpool have now suffered consecutive defeats at Wembley, with their latest setback coming against Crystal Palace in the Community Shield.
The Reds’ pre-season campaign has officially drawn to a close, ending on a disappointing note after a penalty loss to Palace, just five days before their Premier League curtain-raiser.
While some may dismiss the Community Shield as little more than a glorified friendly, every side enters the fixture with the intention of winning — a result that will have left Arne Slot somewhat dissatisfied.
Nonetheless, the main focus lies in the overall display, and there were clear problem areas for the Reds, particularly in defence.
Beyond that, there are other aspects Slot will look to address before facing Bournemouth, with Alan Pardew suggesting the Dutchman may have one significant concern going into the clash.
Liverpool Lack Energy Against Crystal Palace
Liverpool fans have enjoyed an eventful summer, with the club’s new signings offering qualities that have not previously been part of the squad.
As this fixture marked the final outing of pre-season, supporters would have been eager to see the players operating at near-peak fitness and ready to reach the standards expected when the new campaign begins.
However, Liverpool appeared to show signs of fatigue and were frequently outplayed in midfield, an issue Pardew feels could cause concern for Slot with the season fast approaching.
“Obviously today was not their day and Palace definitely had more energy than them, which will be a worry for Liverpool,” Pardew told talkSPORT after the game.
“The motivation and energy is something that will be very, very important for them in the next 38 games in the league. You only have to slip up three times and you probably won’t win the title, so you must start the season with energy and see the whole season through.”
Slot is still in the process of determining his strongest starting XI, but encouragingly, he appears close to settling on it. Their display suggested that, once everything comes together, they have the potential to dominate opponents next season.
Liverpool Still Expecting a Few Arrivals
Alongside integrating new signings and settling on his preferred starting XI, Slot is still hopeful of securing further additions at Anfield, indicating that significant changes may yet be on the horizon.
A striker remains high on the priority list, with Newcastle’s Alexander Isak continuing to be a prime target, and this pursuit is expected to gather momentum in the coming days.
A centre-back is also a possibility, a move that appears necessary, though it could contribute to a somewhat unsettled start to Liverpool’s title defence.
In terms of performance, it was far from poor, but work is required to restore fitness levels to their previous standard, with less than a week remaining for the Reds to address this concern.