Rooney sends cautionary message to Liverpool as tension begins to build at Anfield
Liverpool’s Premier League season continues to look impressive on the surface, but the atmosphere around Anfield is growing increasingly uneasy.
A disappointing 1–1 draw with Burnley stretched our unbeaten run to 12 matches in all competitions, yet the mood at the final whistle spoke volumes.
Speaking on Match of the Day, Wayne Rooney delivered a candid verdict on our current situation. While he acknowledged Liverpool’s control in games, he questioned the direction of the campaign as a whole.
“They may be unbeaten in 12, but six of those games have ended in draws,” Rooney noted, adding that Liverpool “haven’t shown enough consistency since the beginning of the season.” He also highlighted a clear contrast with last year, suggesting we “haven’t played with the same flow” and labelling the moment as “a concern — though not a crisis.”
Rooney’s worries echo wider Liverpool debate
Those remarks will strike a chord after a match in which we fired off 32 shots, posted an xG of 2.95 and forced Martin Dúbravka into eight saves.
Florian Wirtz gave us the lead, but Dominik Szoboszlai striking the bar from the penalty spot proved a turning point in a game we largely dominated.
Alan Shearer was even more critical, branding the unbeaten run “very underwhelming” and claiming Liverpool are “a long way from last season’s level.” Still, he was quick to praise Hugo Ekitike, reinforcing the idea that individual quality is not the problem.
Similar frustrations have been voiced elsewhere, with Lewis Steele pointing out that Liverpool are “17 points worse off than at this stage last season” and describing the football as “difficult to watch” — a comparison that strengthens Rooney’s warning.
Why patience with Slot still matters
Context cannot be ignored.
This is only the second season under our first-ever head coach, who delivered the title last year while overseeing major squad changes in the summer.
Against Burnley, the system worked. The underlying numbers were outstanding, and on another day the result is a comfortable win. Even Steven Gerrard, while stressing that home draws are “unacceptable,” admitted the 47-year-old has brought stability and guided us back into the Champions League places.
If a supposedly poor season still has Liverpool fourth in January, unbeaten in 12 and alive in three competitions, perspective is essential.
Criticism is part of the role, but so is patience. At the very least, Slot deserves the remainder of the campaign to continue moulding a team that is creating chances, dominating matches and showing clear signs that results will eventually catch up.
