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Three dismal statistics show Arne Slot’s position at Liverpool is now untenable after Aston Villa battering

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Aston Villa’s dismantling of Liverpool was not only damaging to their Premier League position, but also a defeat that pushed them towards unwanted records.

For many supporters, this might be the final straw. Villa beat Liverpool 4-2 at Villa Park, and the scoreline did not feel like a freak result. It felt completely in keeping with what this Liverpool team has become under Arne Slot.

They were open, passive and far too easy to play through. It’s the theme of the season, especially away from home, and the numbers now make it almost impossible to dress this up as a short-term dip.

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Aston Villa v Liverpool - Premier League
Photo by Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images

Liverpool’s struggles amplified by three pitiful stats following Aston Villa loss

Liverpool’s season has been getting worse with every passing week, and the defeat to Villa only made the picture more damning.

There are bad performances, and then there are performances that make a manager’s position feel very difficult to defend.

Liverpool have now conceded 77 goals in all competitions this season. That is an astonishing number for a club with this level of resources and expectation.

It is also the second-most goals Liverpool have conceded in a single season since the start of the Premier League era. The only time they conceded more was in 1992/93, when they let in 79.

It is not just a poor defensive record, it is a historically bad one — and there’s still a game left to play.

The league defensive record is no kinder. Liverpool have conceded 52 goals this season in the top flight, their most in a 38-game league campaign since 1914/15.

This is not a side being undone by the odd mistake or one bad month. This is a team that has lost its structure — a team that has stopped looking able to compete at the top level.

The away record against the top nine is the final nail in the coffin. Liverpool have played eight games, won none, drawn one and lost seven.

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Ollie Watkins knee slides in celebration after scoring for Aston Villa against Liverpool in the Premier League match at Villa Park (Credit: Getty Images/Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC
Photo Credit: Getty Images/ Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC

A minus-10 goal difference in those fixtures says everything about how far they have fallen in the biggest tests. They have not just failed to win away against strong opposition, they have been beaten far too easily.

Even the most patient Slot supporter now has to ask whether this is really a blip. At some point, the evidence becomes too strong to ignore.

Liverpool’s end-of-season review of Slot will determine what happens next, but his position is only weakening with these late-season performances. If Liverpool can’t get a result against Brentford, there’s a chance they drop out of the top five. Bad to worse.