In isolation, a loss to Manchester City might be easier to take than some of Liverpool’s defeats this season, but dropping three points from a winning position over the weekend and then watching their
rivals in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League then slip up against bottom-half opposition is a blow.
It also rather makes Wednesday evening’s challenge of facing Sunderland on the road feel important. The sort of match where anything less than a win—and a convincing win at that—will lead to some very negative reactions and further discontent amongst a fanbase whose patience with this stumbling side is starting to wear thin.
“It is a big disappointment because we understand that we deserved a better result,” goalkeeper Alisson said of the City defeat and the next challenge up for 2025-26’s still stumbling Reds. “But that’s part of football. In a few moments we allowed the opponent to have chances and at this level they are clinical, they are Man City.
“They are title contenders and they punish you when you don’t make everything right, when you don’t take maybe all the right decisions. We are in a moment that we want to improve the performances as well. So yes, we are disappointed about the result but we have a game again and we have to work hard and try to win.”
Liverpool, of course, were meant to be title contenders given they are title defenders, and while many expected a small step back in Arne Slot’s second year in charge, few expected this big a drop off—or for the team to still be struggling to find any kind of identity or consistency in February as the season nears its final stages.
To perhaps make matters worse for the Reds, Sunderland are the only Premier League side this season still undefeated at home. Even if nobody else has managed more than a draw at the Stadium of Light, though, this is a Liverpool with almost no margin of error left. Nothing less than three points here will be acceptable.
“We know it’s going to be a tough game,” Alisson added. “Every Premier League game is a tough game to play. It’s a really intense team, physical, but technically good, tactically well-organised. They defend really well, they got good results against big clubs as well. We’re going to have to work hard if we want the three points.”
