Liverpool’s promising start to the 2025-26 season has suddenly gone cold. Two losses in just four days have left supporters wondering whether their team can truly fight for every trophy this campaign. Winning on the road has become a real problem, and it is not a new one.
Every title-winning team needs to be strong away from home. Half of the season is played on the road, and those games often decide who lifts trophies and who watches others do so. Liverpool’s dream of sweeping silverware this year is already under pressure after back-to-back defeats against Crystal Palace and Galatasaray.
The Reds began the season in unstoppable form, winning seven matches in all competitions. But that streak came crashing down with a 2-1 defeat at Selhurst Park followed by a 1-0 loss in Türkiye. In the space of a week, their five-point lead at the top of the league has been cut, and the mood inside the camp has changed.
Former defender Jamie Carragher did not hold back after the Galatasaray game. He called the team “a mess” and accused them of “playing basketball instead of football.” The criticism may sound harsh, but it reflects what many fans are beginning to feel.
While two defeats out of nine matches is not disastrous, the warning signs have been there for a while. Liverpool have been scraping narrow wins and relying on late goals to stay afloat. Victories against Bournemouth, Newcastle, Arsenal, Atlético Madrid, Burnley, and Southampton all came in the closing moments. Even their Merseyside derby win over Everton ended with them desperately hanging on.
This time, fortune turned against them. Palace scored in stoppage time to snatch victory, while Galatasaray easily protected their lead in Istanbul. Arne Slot’s side looked flat, short of ideas, and unable to find the spark that carried them through the early weeks of the season.
This is only the second time Slot has lost consecutive games since taking charge. The last time it happened, Liverpool were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain and then lost the EFL Cup final to Newcastle.
At Anfield, things look brighter. The home wins over Atlético Madrid and Everton showed glimpses of quality, especially in attack. But away from home, Liverpool’s record tells a worrying story. They have lost five of their last eight road matches across all competitions and have needed late winners in the three they managed to win.
Those wins came against newly-promoted sides Leicester and Burnley, plus a dramatic 3-2 victory over Newcastle that nearly slipped away. Before this run, Liverpool had lost only three of 24 away games under Slot. Now they have lost five in just eight.
Recent defeats to Fulham, Chelsea, Brighton, Palace, and Galatasaray expose a growing weakness. The losses to Chelsea and Brighton last May were dismissed at the time because the league title was already secured, but now those poor displays appear to be part of a pattern.
The stats back it up. In Slot’s first 24 away matches, Liverpool averaged 2.1 goals scored and just over one conceded per game, roughly matching their expected goals. Over the last eight away games, they are scoring only 1.4 goals and conceding 1.8. Their shooting accuracy has collapsed, with a conversion rate falling from 13.4% to just 7.9%, while opponents are converting 14.4% of their chances against them.
Liverpool now enjoy more possession in away games, averaging almost 65% compared to 56% before. Ironically, that has not helped. Many opponents have simply let them have the ball, confident they would struggle to create clear chances. Chelsea had only 35% possession when they beat Liverpool 3-1 last May.
Looking at the bigger picture, things changed drastically after January 2025. Between the start of last season and New Year’s Day, Liverpool played 14 away matches and won 12. Since then, they have played 18 and lost eight. Their average goals per game have nearly halved.
Mohamed Salah remains their most reliable scorer on the road, but even he has struggled lately. Since January, he has just four non-penalty goals away from home. Cody Gakpo has been even less effective, scoring once in 15 away appearances.
In Premier League terms, Liverpool’s record this year still looks decent, but not elite. Only three teams have earned more away points since January, with Crystal Palace and Brentford surprisingly among them.
Now comes another test: a trip to Stamford Bridge. Liverpool have not beaten Chelsea away since September 2020, a game played behind closed doors. A third straight defeat would mark their worst run since early 2023.
The Reds are not just battling opponents; they are also dealing with emotion and transition. The summer loss of Diogo Jota hit the squad deeply. Several new signings, including Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, are still adapting. That emotional and tactical adjustment takes time.
Luck has also played its part. Palace’s winner came from a long throw in the 97th minute, and Galatasaray’s penalty was questionable. Liverpool even saw their own penalty overturned late on. Small details have made a big difference in both defeats.
Football is judged by results, but results don’t always tell the full story. Still, the underlying numbers do not lie. Liverpool’s away form has dropped sharply, and unless it improves, their ambitions of defending the Premier League title and challenging in Europe will quickly fade.
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