Can Liverpool keep pace with Premier League's top five? Arne Slot is in trouble if they slip away

Arne Slot cannot catch a break. Three days on from a season's best performance at Marseille in the Champions League, there Liverpool were, getting beat by Bournemouth at the Vitality. Inconsistency continues at an unfathomable rate.

Slot's side remain winless in the league this year, having only scored five goals in five matches, and now face an uphill battle to stay in contention for the Champions League spots after being overtaken by Manchester United and Chelsea in the table.

Both Brentford and Fulham have managed as many wins as Liverpool overall (10). Slot's excuses for such a record (the latest of which was the wind at Bournemouth) only serve to further eradicate the credit banked during last season's title-winning campaign. The Dutchman is now in the thick of the crossfire.

Failure to beat Newcastle at the weekend, after hosting Qarabag at Anfield on Wednesday, would represent Liverpool's worst start to a calendar year since 1954 - the last year in which they were relegated.

Here is an analysis of the most glaring issues as the defending champions strain to keep pace with the top five.