The decline has been stark.Liverpool are 25 points adrift of the 84 they accumulated when winning the Premier League title last season. Their current tally of 60 league goals scored is 28 fewer than in 2024-25, and works out at 1.67 per game, the club’s lowest rate since 2015-16 (1.66).At the other end, Arne Slot’s fourth-placed side have already conceded 48 times — seven more than last season. If they ship three goals over their remaining two matches, it will become Liverpool’s worst defensive return in a 38-game Premier League season.This was always likely to be a difficult campaign following the death of Diogo Jota in July. Liverpool were the only club with grief counsellors at their training complex throughout pre-season, a backdrop that can’t be overlooked when assessing the past nine months.But other factors have also contributed to their struggles. The boos at Anfield during and after last weekend’s draw with Chelsea laid bare the scale of the frustration among fans.Slot, who is set to keep his job despite growing calls for change, referred to the torrent of criticism in his press conference before Friday’s trip to Aston Villa. “We have all had our share,” he said. “By ‘all’, I mean the players have had their share, the manager has had his share and other people in the club have had their share. That is how things work nowadays if you don’t win the league.”Here, The Athletic’s Liverpool experts analyse the key figures in the firing line. You can have your say in the poll below.<p> Arne SlotSince the dark days of November, when Liverpool’s wretched run extended to nine defeats in 12 matches, the head coach has been a lightning rod for criticism.Some have even tried to rewrite history and diminish Slot’s role in the title triumph last season, arguing that it was won with Jurgen Klopp’s team. That argument ignores the tactical tweaks Slot made to propel Liverpool from a third-placed finish in 2023-24 to runaway champions 12 months later.However, if Slot thought a successful debut season would buy him patience, he was mistaken. Appreciation has been replaced by anger, with a growing section of the fanbase calling for his exit.The stats are grim. Liverpool have suffered 18 defeats in all competitions this season — their most since 2014-15. This is the first season both Manchester clubs have completed a league double over Liverpool in more than 100 years. It was also the first time in the Premier League era that Liverpool failed to beat any of the promoted teams at home.There have been factors beyond Slot’s control. He has been dealt a bad hand by some of the recruitment decisions made above him and the scale of the injury crisis that depleted his options.Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz — the three most expensive signings in a record £450million ($609m at the time) spending spree — have only played 118 minutes together all season.Dealing with all the fallout from Mohamed Salah’s outburst at Elland Road in December was another unwanted distraction. Salah’s form had been poor and taking the Egyptian out of the team to include an extra midfielder did make them harder to beat. Cody Gakpo, Ibrahima Konate and Alexis Mac Allister losing their way has made Slot’s job harder.But Slot has failed to get the best out of his squad. It’s not just results that have changed the mood towards him but the uninspiring brand of football, too.Liverpool have looked like a team without an identity. Far too often, their build-up play has been too slow and predictable with Slot bemoaning their inability to break down deep-lying defences.Fans want to see Liverpool playing on the front foot and being aggressive, but they rarely press high, winning possession in the final third just 4.1 times per league game this season — their lowest average since 2014-15.Defensive vulnerability has been an issue that Slot has failed to solve. Liverpool have conceded 18 league goals from set pieces (excluding penalties) this season, their highest figure of the Premier League era. They have also let in eight league goals in the 90th minute or later, each one costing points.Too often, substitutions have smacked of desperation rather than a coherent plan. Playing Dominik Szoboszlai as a makeshift right-back weakened a midfield already creaking from Mac Allister’s downturn. Ignoring fringe players has led to an overreliance on senior figures, who have looked fatigued.It would be unfair for Slot to solely carry the can for this season but he has made mistakes.James PearceThe playersIf truth be told, only a handful of players can say they’ve excelled this season, so for that reason alone, a degree of blame should be attributed to the regulars who have failed to turn up.