The image of a dejected Mohamed Salah trudging off the Anfield turf as Liverpool chased a late equaliser against Manchester United spoke volumes about the club’s current crisis. Once the man capable of rescuing any game, ‘The Egyptian King’ now cuts a frustrated figure in a side short on rhythm, confidence and belief.

Moments after Harry Maguire’s 84th-minute header sealed a 2-1 win — United’s first triumph at Anfield in over a decade — Salah was replaced by Jeremie Frimpong, symbolising how far Liverpool’s fortunes have fallen.

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This latest loss marked Liverpool’s fourth in succession — their worst run since 2014 under Brendan Rodgers. What was once dismissed as a temporary dip has now developed into a full-blown crisis.

Manager Arne Slot admitted the gravity of the situation after the game.

“If you lose four times in a row, you need to be concerned,” he told Match of the Day. “We know how it works in football. If we keep bringing in these performances, we will have a fair chance of winning more games. But losing four in a row definitely does something to the team.”

A fifth defeat, should they lose to Eintracht Frankfurt in Wednesday’s Champions League tie, would make it Liverpool’s worst sequence since 1953.

Even the home crowd showed their frustration as the Reds laboured in possession, struggling to break down United’s compact and disciplined defence.

There was no shortage of misfortune — Cody Gakpo hit the woodwork three times before finally equalising in the 78th minute — but the cutting edge and ruthlessness that once defined this side were absent.

Salah, now 33, spurned a golden opportunity to score, extending his run without a non-penalty goal to seven matches. It was another sign of a player searching for rhythm. He had already been left out of the Champions League defeat to Galatasaray, and being substituted again here only deepened concerns about his form.

Doubting world-class players is always risky, but even Salah’s most loyal admirers will admit he looks a shadow of his former self.

The deeper problem runs beyond individual form. Liverpool, once the model of efficiency, now look a disjointed and uncertain outfit. This is despite Slot being backed with nearly £450 million in transfer spending after winning the league last season.

Record arrivals Florian Wirtz (£116m) and Alexander Isak (£125m) were supposed to elevate the champions, yet both have flattered to deceive.

Isak was again ineffective against United, preferred over the more energetic Hugo Ekitike, while Wirtz was left to make another brief cameo from the bench.

At a combined cost of £241 million, their impact has been minimal — and patience, even at a club with Liverpool’s pedigree, has its limits.

Former defender Stephen Warnock summed up the issue on BBC Radio 5 Live:

“Arne Slot has a couple of decisions to make. Szoboszlai looks the better right-back and fits moving into midfield from there, but does he like being there? Probably not, but it would work better for the team.”

“Then Frimpong comes on and makes more of an impact in ten minutes than Salah did all game. He put two brilliant crosses into the box and Gakpo should have scored one. Ekitike also offered more up top than Isak.”

Last season’s champions now look chaotic at the back. Milos Kerkez endured another torrid afternoon, nearly scoring an own goal after a rebound off his face.

The confusion extended to moments like when Alexis Mac Allister lay prone with a head injury, accidentally caught by Virgil van Dijk’s elbow. Referee Michael Oliver allowed play to continue, and Bryan Mbeumo capitalised as Van Dijk failed to recover his position, coolly finishing past stand-in keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Statistically, the decline is stark. Liverpool have conceded five goals from set pieces in eight Premier League matches — after conceding none in the same period last season. They remain vulnerable to counter-attacks and balls played in behind, exposing a lack of structure that was once their strength.

This slump has dropped Liverpool to fourth place, four points adrift of leaders Arsenal. For a team that dominated English football just months ago, the fall has been sudden and jarring.

Despite the gloom, Slot insists that solutions lie within the squad. He must reignite the confidence of key players like Salah, Isak, and Wirtz, while tightening a defence that has lost its reliability.

Captain Van Dijk echoed that sentiment, urging unity amid adversity.

“It’s an interesting time now. We have to stick together,” he said. “We need to stay humble and keep working. When things get tough, it’s important we keep the mentality of being there for each other. It’s a long season.”

Whether Liverpool’s season can be rescued will depend on Slot’s ability to balance tactical discipline with renewed attacking spark. The ingredients are there: elite players, vast resources and a manager who knows how to build winning teams.

But right now, the aura of dominance has vanished. Liverpool look vulnerable, human, and in desperate need of a spark — perhaps even from the man once known for providing it most reliably: Mohamed Salah.