When Jurgen Klopp faced adversity at Liverpool, he had a remarkable talent for finishing seasons on a high note. In 2020-21, the Reds won their final five Premier League matches—and eight of their last ten—to snatch Champions League qualification from the jaws of disappointment. The following year, a seven-win surge in the final nine games offered hope, even if it only earned a Europa League spot. Each time, that spring momentum carried into a stronger campaign the next season.

Now, Arne Slot stands at a crossroads, promising Liverpool fans that next year will outshine this disappointing sophomore season under the Dutchman. But so far, the evidence is thin, and the optimism feels harder to come by. Slot may lack Klopp's gift for persuasion, or perhaps the current struggles simply speak louder.

Sunday's defeat to Manchester United was a case in point. Liverpool had won three straight league matches, but the memory of a Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain lingered. Slot knew the run didn't feel as good as it looked. Unlike Klopp's heartening 2021 win at Old Trafford during the run-in, there was no such lift this weekend. Instead, familiar flaws resurfaced. Matheus Cunha's opener marked the 17th league goal Liverpool have conceded from a set-piece—a club record in the Premier League era. Kobbie Mainoo's winner was the 16th they've allowed in the final 15 minutes of games. Only Burnley and Newcastle have been more vulnerable late on.

These numbers reflect a team that often feels stretched, with starters exhausted and injuries thinning the squad. Slot argues next year will be better because new signings will gel with more time together and the injury list will shrink. But there are days when Alexander Isak seems to counter that logic. He was absent Sunday with a minor groin problem, raising fresh questions about Liverpool's £125 million investment in a player with a spotty fitness record.

For Liverpool to turn the tide, they need more than just physical robustness—they need mental steel. "It's unacceptable that we have lost too many times," Slot admitted. The blueprint Klopp left behind is clear: finish strong, build belief, and let that momentum carry into the next season. Whether Slot can follow that path remains the biggest question for a club that wears its ambition on its sleeve—and on its kit.