Liverpool's struggles at Anfield persisted on Wednesday night as they were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by newly-promoted Sunderland. The result leaves Arne Slot's side in eighth place in the Premier League table and extends a worrying run of form on home turf.
Anfield Frustration Mounts for Slot
The midweek clash saw Chemsdine Talbi put the visitors ahead in the 67th minute. Liverpool's late equaliser came in the 81st minute, but it carried a stroke of fortune as Florian Wirtz's shot deflected off Sunderland's Nordi Mukiele and was recorded as an own goal. This outcome dampened the spirits lifted by last weekend's 2-0 away victory at West Ham United.
More concerning is the broader pattern. The draw means Liverpool have now failed to win any of their last three matches at Anfield across all competitions. Their last victory on home soil was a full month ago, a Champions League win against Real Madrid. Since then, they have suffered heavy defeats to Nottingham Forest (3-0) and PSV Eindhoven (4-1) before this latest stalemate.
Echoes of a Klopp-Era Struggle
This slump evokes an uncomfortable memory for the Anfield faithful. According to Opta statistics, this is the first time in nearly five years that Liverpool have gone three consecutive home games without a win. The last such run occurred under Jurgen Klopp in early 2021.
Back then, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Liverpool endured an eight-game winless streak at Anfield between December 2020 and March 2021. That run included draws with West Brom and Manchester United, and defeats to Burnley, Brighton, Manchester City, Everton, Chelsea, and Fulham. The streak was finally broken with a 2-0 Champions League win over RB Leipzig on March 10.
A key difference, however, is context. Klopp's team played those matches in an empty stadium, deprived of their famous home support. Slot's current side has no such excuse, with the Kop in full voice but unable to inspire a winning performance.
The Road Ahead and League Position
The immediate challenge for Arne Slot is to halt this slide swiftly. The schedule offers a brief respite with two away fixtures. They travel to face Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday (5.30pm kick-off), followed by a Champions League trip to face Inter Milan on Tuesday night (8pm).
Attention will then swiftly return to Anfield, where the pressure will be on when Brighton & Hove Albion visit in the Premier League on Saturday, December 12 (3pm). Breaking the home curse in that match is now a significant psychological hurdle.
In the league, the picture is equally concerning. After 14 matches, Liverpool have accumulated just 22 points, leaving them marooned in eighth position. The need for improvement, both home and away, is stark if they are to mount any challenge for the European qualification spots this season.
