Dominik Szoboszlai urged Liverpool to “wake up,” cautioning that they risk finding themselves in the Conference League instead of the Champions League next season if their current performances don’t improve in the Premier League.
The reigning champions managed to draw 1-1 against a struggling Tottenham, conceding another late goal, this time from Richarlison in the 90th minute at Anfield.
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This marks the eighth time this season that Liverpool conceded after the 90th minute, as Arne Slot’s side squandered a chance to move into fourth place following defeats for Aston Villa and Chelsea.
Szoboszlai, who initially put Liverpool ahead with a direct free kick, found it difficult to understand the trend of conceding late goals. Former defender Jamie Carragher remarked on Sky Sports before Richarlison’s equaliser that Liverpool appeared to be “sleepwalking” towards dropping more points.
Szoboszlai also commented on Sky Sports: “We have to wake up. If we continue like this, we might be content playing in the Conference League next season. In the first half, we performed very well and dominated the game with few opportunities for them. But in the second half, I don’t know, we just didn’t replicate that performance.”
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“The question is why? We need to sit down and discuss this. This is a challenging time for us, and sticking together is crucial.”
Tottenham arrived at Anfield without 12 key players and were experiencing their worst Premier League form with four consecutive defeats under Igor Tudor.
They earned a well-deserved point, while Liverpool’s display drew some boos from the home crowd at full-time.
“I didn’t hear the boos, but I can understand them because last season we were champions, and this season we are not performing as we should,” Szoboszlai said.
“The supporters should back us because last season, four games before the end, everyone was happy. They should support us during these tough times.”
Roy Keane has pointed out significant issues at Liverpool (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane warned that Liverpool has “big problems” and that something essential is missing from last season’s champions. Carragher described Liverpool’s performance as “awful.”
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“No offense to Tottenham, but they are currently the weakest team in the Premier League, probably for the past couple of months,” he stated. “They were exactly the kind of team you’d want to face at home, especially with the motivation from our results this weekend, yet we produced a performance like that. It’s been the same all season.”
“The pressing question is whether this is the manager’s fault or down to the squad’s structure. Could a new manager rejuvenate these players, infuse them with energy, and restore that intensity? I’m not certain. A lot of this traces back to last summer, the types of players we brought in, and we have too many players who only want to shine with the ball at their feet. They lack the willingness to dig deep and create challenges. This is why it has become so easy to play against this Liverpool team.”