Liverpool’s Season Has Exposed Three Areas That Must Be Fixed This Summer

This season for Liverpool has been defined as much by what has been missing as what has been shown. A title defence which never quite gathered momentum has left the Reds heading into a summer where recruitment is not optional but essential. The margins are clear in the data, in the eye test and in the mood around Anfield.

Arne Slot has spoken openly about the need for proof next season, and the numbers underline why. Liverpool have conceded after the 84th minute in nine separate league games, a run of late collapses which has cost them as many as 14 points. Those are title-race margins, not minor flaws.

Defensive lapses tell only part of the story. The broader issue is balance across the pitch, and three areas in particular now define Liverpool’s summer priorities.

The left side problem that never went away

The departure of Luis Diaz has left a gap which has not been filled. It is not simply about goals or assists. The Colombian brought progression, speed and the ability to turn defence into attack in seconds.

That absence has had a knock-on effect across the team. Without a winger capable of carrying the ball upfield at pace, Liverpool have struggled to relieve pressure. Attacks have become slower, more predictable and easier to defend against. The forward line has suffered, but so too has the back four, often left exposed by turnovers higher up the pitch.

Diaz’s impact for Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain only heightened that debate, with his goal and penalty-winning display a reminder of what FSG allowed to leave.

Liverpool are already looking at solutions. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has long been admired for his ability to carry the ball in tight spaces, while Michael Olise’s creativity has pushed his valuation into elite territory. More recently, RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande has emerged as a serious option, a player valued at close to £100m who fits the profile that the Reds are missing.

Replacing those attributes is no longer a preference. It is a necessity.

Midfield control is still costing points

If you look back at the pattern already mentioned, those late concessions point to something deeper than isolated mistakes. It speaks to control, game management and physical drop-off.

Liverpool’s midfield has often lacked the ability to slow games down when required. There is energy and technical quality, but not always the composure to manage momentum. Slot himself has hinted at underlying reasons for a lack of chance creation, but the inability to dictate tempo has been visible throughout the season.

The run-in will define both the season and the summer

The final three matches of the season offer a clear test of where this team really stands. A trip to Villa Park, sandwiched by home games against Chelsea and Brentford, ensures there is no easy run-in to the summer.

These matches are not just about securing Champions League qualification. They are about showing whether the issues which have defined the season can be corrected when the pressure is highest.

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As the top-four odds currently show, Liverpool are expected to see it through. The question is whether they can control the stages of matches which have repeatedly turned against them.

Leadership is thinning at a crucial moment

There is also a quieter but equally important issue developing. Liverpool are entering a period of transition in leadership.

With Mo Salah set to depart and Andy Robertson also moving on, the responsibility falls increasingly on figures like Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker. The latter remains one of the most influential goalkeepers in the club’s history, sitting just one clean sheet away from moving ahead of Elisha Scott in the all-time standings.

This is not just about replacing players. It is about replacing experience, authority and the ability to manage high-pressure moments. If that balance tips too far towards youth, the issues seen late in games this season could persist.

What must be fixed before next season begins

The outline is already clear. Liverpool need pace and directness on the left, greater control in midfield and a careful approach to maintaining leadership within the squad.

None of these issues exist in isolation. The lack of forward thrust affects defensive stability. Midfield control impacts late-game resilience. Leadership underpins both.

Slot has insisted that improvement will come, but next season will not be judged on belief. It will be judged on whether these gaps have been filled, and whether this side can once again look like one capable of sustaining a title challenge rather than reacting to one.

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