Liverpool finds itself in a frustrating pattern this season, again conceding a late goal that costs them valuable points.
This time, Richarlison struck during a 1-1 draw against a struggling Tottenham, denying Liverpool the chance to climb into fourth place in the league table.
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The players, who were met with boos from the home crowd at full-time, are well aware of the implications.
“I feel flat,” expressed Dominik Szoboszlai, who scored the opening goal for Liverpool in the 18th minute, during an interview with Sky Sports. “We need to wake up because if we continue like this, we should be happy with a spot in the Conference League. I don’t understand why this is happening, honestly.”
“Once again, in the last minute, I can’t even count how many times it’s happened this season.”
It has happened eight times so far.
Liverpool has conceded eight goals in the Premier League during the 90th minute or later this season, setting a new record for the club—surpassing the previous high of seven during the 2010-11 campaign. Each of these late concessions has resulted in dropped points.
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What could be the reasons behind this trend, and how might it affect their season’s outcome?
Potential Points Lost
In more than a quarter of their Premier League matches this season, Liverpool has allowed either an equalizer or a last-minute goal. Five of these goals resulted in defeats against Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Bournemouth, Manchester City, and Wolves, while three resulted in draws against Leeds, Fulham, and now Tottenham. In the case of the Fulham match, Liverpool had taken the lead in injury time before conceding just moments later.
In contrast, Liverpool has managed to secure victories through late goals in three matches, two of which occurred in the season’s first four games.
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If Liverpool had not surrendered those late leads, they would be sitting on 60 points and effectively locked into a Champions League position.
Currently, they are in fifth place—likely sufficient for next season’s competition—but only one point ahead of Chelsea, who fell to Newcastle over the weekend. Aston Villa, two points ahead in fourth, also suffered a defeat to Manchester United, who are positioned third in the league.
“This is an absolute disaster regarding Champions League qualification,” remarked former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports. “With Aston Villa and Man Utd facing off, someone was bound to drop points.”
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“You could sense it coming; I’ve been saying it all through the second half. They looked like they were sleepwalking. Liverpool was all over the place.”
Reds manager Arne Slot admitted, “We have conceded too many goals to accumulate the points this club is accustomed to.”
Liverpool has also struggled defensively prior to the 90th minute, having let in 15 league goals from the 75th minute onward. No other team in the league has conceded more in the final 15 minutes.
‘Managerial Issues or Squad Depth?’
Who is accountable for these late collapses, and why are the performances lacking compared to last season when they claimed the Premier League title?
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“Despite the incentive created by other results, to perform like this against lower-tier opposition is dreadful—and it’s been this way all season,” Carragher commented.
“The pressing question is whether this falls on the manager or the makeup of the squad—I’m not entirely sure.”
What is the root cause? If Liverpool had the answer, they would likely have addressed it by now.
In analyzing the situation, Slot pointed out that the goals conceded are varied. “Once again in the last minute, after we had a chance to score ourselves, we left the pitch disappointed,” he said on Sky Sports. “The ways we concede in the dying moments are not always the same; you can’t compare a deflected shot against Wolves with the goal today. Most of their opportunities arose from long balls and second balls, and we failed to clear quickly enough.” He added, “Given the way this season is going, it’s not surprising we’re conceding late.”
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Slot expressed, “Every late goal brings enormous frustration. How many times must this happen? Today it was not unexpected; the final 15-20 minutes of the match were the most balanced part of the game.”
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As for the booing from the Anfield crowd? Both Slot and Szoboszlai acknowledged it but emphasized the need for support during tough times, especially with a 1-0 deficit to overcome in the upcoming Champions League last-16 second leg against Galatasaray. “I’m confident that if the fans show up on Wednesday, they will be supportive from the start. However, it’s natural for them to be frustrated if the team doesn’t perform to the standards they expect,” Slot noted.
“Arne Slot needs some self-reflection,” commented former Republic of Ireland striker Clinton Morrison on BBC Radio 5 Live. “If Liverpool displays this form midweek, they will be eliminated from the Champions League.”
A Glimmer of Hope from Ngumoha?
Rio Ngumoha made a notable impact during his first league start [Getty Images]
A bright spot for Liverpool was the performance of 17-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha, who made his first start in the Premier League. He became the first player to attempt and successfully complete seven or more dribbles in a Premier League match since Matheus Cunha for Wolves in May 2023.
Ngumoha had previously made 11 substitute appearances in the league and participated in every cup competition this season.
“I mentioned a couple of months ago how well he progressed as a 16-year-old, and now at 17, his development continues,” Slot noted. “A performance like this today will only enhance his chances for more playing time with the club. I have 12 or 13 players capable of delivering quality performances, and Rio is performing so well that it makes sense to include him.”