After an embarrassing 4-1 loss to Napoli, Liverpool are in desperate need of an answer against Wolves on Saturday, but can we expect them to bounce back right away?
The Reds need to find form, and they need to find it fast.
Right now, Jurgen Klopp’s men are a shadow of the team that has won trophy after trophy in recent seasons.
There have been other bad spells during the German’s time in charge and Liverpool have finally overcome them.
The same needs to happen sooner rather than later, and this Saturday’s game against Wolves is where they need to start.
So what does history suggest will happen in the Reds’ next game and in the weeks to come? Here, we look at how Liverpool responded to their eight other worst defeats under Klopp.
Watford 3-0 Liverpool – December 2015
Next game: Liverpool 1-0 Leicester
Bad, very bad memories of this one. Months into Klopp’s reign, Liverpool’s last game before Christmas saw them beaten 3-0 at Vicarage Road, in a loss that saw them drop to ninth in the Premier League table.
Their next match came on Boxing Day, where Christian Benteke scored the winner in a 1–0 victory over Leicester at Anfield, but they only managed one league victory in January.
Of course, they reached the League Cup and Europa League finals later that season, but could only manage an 8th-place finish in the league.
Watford 3-0 Liverpool – February 2020
Next game: Chelsea 2-0 Liverpool (FA Cup)
Another forgettable trip to Hertfordshire during Liverpool’s league title-winning season. This was the match that ended Liverpool’s hopes of an unbeaten season in the Premier League, ending an 18-match winning streak.
There were only three games after that before football came to a halt due to the Covid pandemic. Those three results were a 2-0 loss to Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter-finals, a 2-1 win over Bournemouth at Anfield and that Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid.
Barcelona 3-0 Liverpool – May 2019
Next game: Newcastle 2-3 Liverpool
This loss came after a run of 10 wins in a row in all competitions, and we all know what happened in the second leg. The truth is that the Reds were very unlucky to lose the way they did at Camp Nou.
The next game was a dramatic victory at Newcastle, courtesy of a textbook winner from Divock Origi, before the Reds produced the greatest European night in Anfield history to beat Barcelona three days later.
A small blip in a season that would allow them to win their sixth European Cup.
Liverpool 1-4 Manchester City – February 2021
Next game: Leicester 3-1 Liverpool
An afternoon to forget for Alisson. This game came at the heart of Liverpool’s defensive injury crisis in the 2020/21 season, and it was no real surprise to see City tear the Reds apart. They then scored four, inflicting the Reds their third straight home loss.
It would not improve in the coming weeks, with Klopp’s side beaten by Leicester in their next game, one of four league games they would lose in their next five meetings.
Tottenham 4-1 Liverpool – October 2017
Next game: Liverpool 3-0 Huddersfield
The day Dejan Lovren was substituted after half an hour. This was a truly somber afternoon for the Reds at Wembley.
What followed, however, was an 18-game unbeaten run and three clean sheets in the next four games.
This would prove to be a turning point in Liverpool’s season, and let’s hope the same applies to the loss at Napoli.
Manchester City 4-0 Liverpool – July 2020
Next game: Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
The most forgivable 4-0 defeat in Liverpool history? Probably. This game came days after the Reds were crowned league champions for the first time in 30 years.
Previous champions City gave Klopp’s side a guard of honor as they left for the match. That alone was enough to make up for the end result.
Following this, Liverpool won four of their remaining six league games to finish 18 points clear of City.
Man City 5-0 Liverpool – September 2017
Next game: Liverpool 2-2 Seville
Would this game have ended 5-0 if Sadio Mane hadn’t been sent off for a high boot on Ederson? Nope.
This was Liverpool’s first defeat of the 2017/18 season, after beating Arsenal 4-0 in their previous league game.
However, it was a result that somewhat derailed their progress, as the Reds only won one of their next seven games.
Aston Villa 7-2 Liverpool – October 2020
Next game: Everton 2-2 Liverpool
One of the most bizarre defeats in the history of the club. Liverpool came into this having won their first three games of the season, looking to retain their league title.
Here, they were ripped apart in a similar way to what we saw in Naples on Wednesday, conceding seven for the first time in nearly 60 years.
The next game was the Merseyside derby which would have a huge effect on the rest of Liverpool’s season, with Virgil van Dijk suffering a season-ending knee injury.
