Arne Slot tried to compress Liverpool's season into one word after the 1-1 draw with Brentford: injury. That was his answer when asked to assess the campaign, and he also admitted, "We and I haven't been perfect, but I would have answered this question exactly the same in the year we won the league." The problem is that the numbers still land heavily against the title defence.

Liverpool finished fifth on 59 points, their lowest Premier League total in 14 years. They ended 23 points behind Arsenal, who finished on 82, and the season only just closed with Champions League qualification rather than anything resembling a proper defence of the crown. Injury is a real part of the story. It is not the whole story.

What the Brentford line-up said about the season

The finale carried its own clues. Curtis Jones gave Liverpool the lead on 58 minutes before Kevin Schade equalised six minutes later, and for the first time this season there were no Academy players on Liverpool's bench. None of Liverpool's eight senior summer signings started either.

That left a side built around familiar names rather than a refreshed squad. Nine of Liverpool's 11 starters against Brentford had also started the title-winning clash with Tottenham. Mohamed Salah added the assist for Jones, so the closing day still had traces of the old Liverpool, just not enough of the new one.

Why the injury defence only goes so far

Slot's explanation is defensible because the season did not fall apart in one neat way. The injury issue sat alongside a title defence that never got close to its old standards, and a 59-point finish is still a very poor return for a champion. Saying injury defined the year is fair as a summary. Saying it explains away the year goes too far.

That is why the final-day image matters. Liverpool were not only beaten by circumstances, they were also forced back toward the same core that had carried them before. The next step for Slot is obvious enough: use the summer to make sure the title-winning XI is not the default answer when the pressure comes back in August.

FAQ

Why did Arne Slot say Liverpool's season was defined by injury?

Slot said that if he had to choose one word, it would be injury. He also admitted, 'We and I haven't been perfect,' but said he would have answered the same way even in the year Liverpool won the league. The line is an explanation, not a total excuse, because the team still finished fifth on 59 points.

How bad was Liverpool's Premier League title defence?

Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League on 59 points. That was their lowest points total in 14 years, and they ended 23 points behind Arsenal, who finished on 82. The season still ended with Champions League qualification, but the numbers are well below title-winning standards.

Did Liverpool's final Brentford team show how badly the squad was affected?

It did show a stripped-back squad. None of Liverpool's eight senior summer signings started the Brentford finale, and there were no Academy players on the bench for the first time this season. Nine of the 11 starters had also started the title-winning match against Tottenham.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →