Time of high expectations: what lies ahead for Liverpool after this season

Join AI Pro

Trying to predict the future in a 1xBet Ireland review from the legal bookmaker licensed to operate in our country.

What happened

The 2025–26 season came as a bit of a shock to Liverpool following their Premier League triumph. Fourth place in the table and 58 points after 35 matches is not a disaster, but certainly not the result they had hoped for after their extensive transfer campaign in the summer of 2025.

Arne Slot admitted that he hadn’t expected teams to change their style of play so drastically when facing the champions. This factor, along with injuries and bad luck, lies at the heart of the Reds’ problems.

Losses and gains

The biggest loss is Mohamed Salah. With his departure this summer, the right winger position will become vacant, and the club intends to fill it with a big-name signing. Andy Robertson’s leaving is another sign that an era is coming to an end. Several rotation players are also likely to leave the club: Wataru Endo, Federico Chiesa and Curtis Jones. The prospects of Cody Gakpo and, possibly, even captain Virgil van Dijk, who has long been invited to the Saudi Arabian league, are in doubt.

Among the signings already confirmed, the arrival of 20-year-old Rennes centre-back Jérémy Jacquet, for whom a fee of £60 million has already been paid, is particularly promising. He may well form a central defensive duo with Giovanni Leoni, who has missed this season due to injury. Even if Van Dijk and Konaté stay for next season, they will still need rotation.

Much more is expected from almost all of this season’s newcomers. Milos Kerkez needs to establish himself at the left-back position, while Florian Wirtz has to become a key player in attack. Hugo Ekitike was the least disappointing of Liverpool’s new signings in his debut season in England, but after suffering an Achilles tendon rupture in the match against Paris Saint-Germain, he will miss a significant portion of the 2026–27 campaign. This automatically raises the stakes for Alexander Isak, who has spent a fair bit of time on the sidelines himself and is now expected to become the team’s top scorer.

Possible changes in tactics

The UK media have reported that, following Salah’s departure, Slot may try a formation with two centre-forwards, supported from behind by Florian Wirtz. This would allow Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch to play together in midfield.

Slot will certainly consider several tactical options. And Liverpool will go into the 2026–27 season with a clearer understanding of what they lacked. If they manage to stabilise their defensive play and find a replacement for Salah as the attacking leader, the Reds will be serious title contenders.

If not, the team will once again be aiming for nothing more than 4th or 5th place. That’s a high bar for most clubs, but not for Liverpool in recent years. The coming season will surely reveal the potential of Slot’s new era.

If you want to support Liverpool or your other favourite clubs, you can take advantage of a top offer from 1xBet for new users! How good is 1xBet? Check out the sports welcome offer: bet €10 and get €48 on sports, and the casino welcome offer: grab €390 for your first deposit ONLY with the REDBOOST promo code.

Make your choice and support the club with a great history. You’ll Never Walk Alone!

18+. T&Cs apply. Gamble responsibly
  
1XBET AND TERMINUS PLATFORM IRELAND LIMITED DO NOT SPONSOR ANY OF THE EVENTS ABOVE AND HAVE NO PARTNERSHIP WITH ASSOCIATED SPORTS LEAGUES AND/OR ASSOCIATIONS.

Join AI Pro