Five immediate problems facing Arne Slot as Liverpool deal with worst run in 11 years

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For Arne Slot the international break did not serve as a reset. Instead three losses on the bounce became four when Manchester United stunned Liverpool - dealing them a first Premier League loss at Anfield for the best part of a year.

Having gone five from five to sit top of the table, the Merseysiders are now in fourth with rivals Arsenal and Manchester City both above them. Now Slot is facing the biggest challenge of his tenure thus far.

You have to go back to 2014 to find the last time Liverpool lost four games on the bounce. That was under Brendan Rodgers as his side fell apart just months after going close to claiming the title. They would recover somewhat, but still miss out on the top four.

Liverpool are still tipped to be part of the title equation such is their quality, but Slot needs to find a number of answers to several pressing questions. Even when they were winning with regularity to begin the season there were question marks over performance levels.

They kept producing late goals. Sometimes the hallmark of a great side, this was viewed more like cracks being papered over. The late goals have stopped, as has the winning, and the Dutchman needs to overcome challenges much like his predecessor Jurgen Klopp .

Back-to-back away games are next up, one in the Champions League and one in the Premier League. Neither are ideal with Frankfurt and then Brentford both posing challenges for the Reds and we take a look at what Slot needs to address sooner rather than later.

The most talked about issue on Merseyside is just what does Liverpool's best attack look like? Its not even as if Slot needs to pick his best three or four and then stick with it.

Pep Guardiola has frequently changed his frontline over the years, especially before Erling Haaland , but the level remained the same. The Liverpool boss though doesn't seem to be getting a tune out of many of his attacking players.

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Hugo Ekitike has looked the most shrewd summer arrival and yet his reward for a blistering opening few weeks is to be benched. Cody Gakpo is perhaps the least fashionable of Liverpool's frontmen yet is arguably among the most effective. Slot needs to find a system that works and allows players to come in and out without their being any major issues or dips in quality.

Talking of issues - one Liverpool have made for themselves is spending British-record sums on two players. You simply cannot plough that kind of investment and then not make the moves work, or at least try everything possible. The investment in Alexander Isak means Slot has to make the transfer look the part. And the Swede has proved he can be a class performer in the Premier League.

Florian Wirtz doesn't have that body of work to back up his outrageous fee. But ultimately, a £116m player cannot become a squad luxury who sometimes plays and sometimes doesn't. Maybe Liverpool's team doesn't lend itself to a 10 playing, in which case, can Wirtz find a new home on a wing? Or in a deeper role? Mikel Arteta signed Kai Havertz as a playmaker but through some trial and error realised he could be hugely effective as a false 9. Some food for thought for Slot who may need to get inventive.

It was flagged from minute one by Jamie Carragher , who has continued to bang this drum. For a team that looked so controlled and composed last term Liverpool seem to have lost their grip on games. Yes they're entertaining, but only if you're a neutral. They squandered a 2-0 lead against Bournemouth on opening night and immediate red flags were raised.

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Carragher has said: "I'm not watching a top team. Liverpool aren't playing football at the moment, they are playing basketball. It is just end to end and I don't think top teams play like that."

They look open and, until their approach to games changes, it is unlikely to look like they have much control. It is fair to suggest that the lack of clarity with their frontline is not helping with defending very much beginning in the final third.

Slot can ill-afford to worry about Liverpool looking like they got this contract call wrong. It is far worse to persevere with the Egyptian, just because he's penned a new two-year deal, if he is not producing for the team. He's scored twice in eight league games - and one of those was a penalty.

It is no secret that defensively he's been freed of certain responsibilities. But that only works if he's producing in attack, which he's not doing. Slot hooked him on Sunday late on but whilst Salah has been a talisman for the Reds, he cannot enjoy untouchable status. It remains to be seen but a big call regarding the 33-year-old could put the rest of the team on notice.

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Easier said than done. Already the decision to let Jarell Quansah go looks suspect, especially in light of Ibrahima Konate's form. Talk of him leaving this summer will not stop whilst his performance levels stay as they are. At right-back, yes Dominik Szoboszlai has looked impressive.

But playing him there feels like when James Miler was right-back. Yes he does a job, and yes he's consistent, but its ultimately not his position and he's only being deployed there because there's concern over other options. Szoboszlai is a midfielder and shoehorning him into the defence is a short-term solution to a long-term problem. Virgil van Dijk remains their defensive pillar but he cannot do it alone and the upheaval around him is clearly not aiding the team's ambitions.

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