Gerrard issues stark warning after Liverpool stumble again
Steven Gerrard was characteristically forthright after Liverpool surrendered more points at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.
The Reds were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against 19th-placed Burnley, a result that stretched their unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 games but also extended their Premier League winless streak to four.
All three newly promoted sides have now visited Anfield and departed with a point, while victories for Manchester United and Chelsea have narrowed Liverpool’s cushion in the race for the final automatic Champions League qualification spot.
Gerrard: Home stalemates ‘simply not good enough’
Speaking on TNT Sports, Gerrard conceded that Arne Slot has guided Liverpool away from the bleak situation they faced back in November. However, he stressed that the head coach must also accept responsibility for this latest disappointment.
The former captain explained that while the unbeaten sequence is encouraging, draws at home to teams such as Leeds and Burnley fall well below the standards expected at Liverpool and will inevitably invite scrutiny of the manager.
Gerrard added that he had previously resisted suggestions the club were in crisis, believing Slot was capable of stabilising the side — something he feels has been achieved, with Liverpool climbing from mid-table back into the Champions League places. Securing a top-four finish, he said, must now be the minimum target, even if criticism continues to follow results like this.
Anfield struggles becoming a serious concern
Liverpool’s home form has declined sharply compared to last season’s title-winning campaign, when they dropped points at Anfield just five times — two of those coming after the league had already been secured.
This season, the Reds have now failed to win five of their 11 league matches on home soil, drawing with all three promoted clubs and suffering defeats to Manchester United and Nottingham Forest.
Slot’s approach has also come under scrutiny, with suggestions his style has grown difficult to watch resonating among sections of the fanbase. That frustration was evident at full-time against Burnley, as pockets of supporters voiced their displeasure.
Gerrard’s concerns about the growing number of draws are justified, with stalemates making up half of Liverpool’s current unbeaten run and preventing them from creating breathing space in the top-four battle.
While performance metrics tell part of the story — Liverpool registering an xG of 2.96 compared to Burnley’s 0.4 — they also underline a worrying lack of efficiency in front of goal. Unless that problem is resolved, a return to Champions League football next season could be far from guaranteed.
