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6 Liverpool Gifts Arne Slot Needs Under the Christmas Tree
The 2025/26 season has been far from plain sailing for Liverpool, with the Reds enduring a torrid patch of form under Arne Slot in recent months. And the Dutchman will be hoping for some gifts over the Christmas period, which will set them up for success in the second half of the campaign.
Having lifted the Premier League trophy in 2024/25, it seemed as though the club would once again be the team to beat this term after signing the likes of Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Milos Kerkez. But poor results saw them slip from table toppers to mid-table — and while they’ve recovered to some extent, a lot of work needs to be done if the Merseyside outfit are to bounce back entirely.
The first team are set to have a break until Saturday 27th December, when they host struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers. And by the time the fixture kicks off at Anfield, Slot will hope that a few of his wishes have come to fruition.
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1
Florian Wirtz Finds His Form of Old
Significant expectation was placed on the shoulders of Florian Wirtz when Liverpool paid £116m to secure his signing in the summer. But it’s fair to say that supporters haven’t seen the form which catapulted him to become one of the best players in football at Bayer Leverkusen.
Glimpses of the man who managed 44 Bundesliga goal contributions in his last two seasons are all that have been afforded thus far, and there’s been no shortage of criticism of the German international. He’s managed just one assist in 16 Premier League appearances, so for Liverpool to really kick on in 2026, Wirtz has to get settled into the team and start thriving.
2
Mohamed Salah Buries the Hatchet
It’s only been a few weeks since Mohamed Salah dropped a grenade in the dressing room by saying the club had thrown him “under the bus.” And while he did make a substitute appearance against Brighton, it will be a few more weeks until Liverpool fans see him at Anfield again, as he’s now away for the African Cup of Nations with Egypt.
By that time, the team could well be finding form, but there’s no question that the Reds are a better side with a fit-and-firing Salah in the first XI. Slot will hope to resolve any lingering issues Salah might have, so that he can return to the player he was last season, and that he can help them in their 2025/26 efforts.
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3
Hugo Ekitike Maintains Scoring Streak
With Wirtz struggling, Salah away for the time being, and Alexander Isak out for a lengthy period following his injury against Tottenham, the onus on Hugo Ekitike has never been higher than now. The French international has been Liverpool’s brightest attacker this season, but he simply has to keep that form going in the New Year due to the lack of real alternatives available presently.
The good news, though, is that Ekitike has shown he’s more than capable of leading the line for the Premier League champions. Five goals in his last three games are a good omen for the club, but they make up more than half of his eight strikes in England’s top division. Finding consistency is now the main objective for him.
4
A New Centre-Back Signing
While Liverpool’s front line might be slightly depleted currently, their biggest troubles this season have come at the other end of the pitch. Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate simply haven’t played at the level they exhibited last season — particularly the latter, whose contract is set to expire in the summer of 2026.
It’s in the club’s best interests to seek an upgrade in January once the transfer window opens up. They pursued Marc Guehi for much of the summer and GIVEMESPORT senior correspondent Fabrizio Romano confirms that they are still keeping tabs on the Crystal Palace captain, although nothing has advanced just yet. Defensive reinforcements are the biggest priority in the New Year — fail to sign a centre-back and any chance of returning to form could well unravel.
5
Alexis Mac Allister Remembers He’s Elite
Throughout Liverpool’s title-winning season in Slot’s debut year as manager, one player they could always rely on was Alexis Mac Allister. The Argentine was a bundle of endless energy as he linked defence to attack, playing line-breaking passes and getting the team on the front foot while tracking back diligently.
Those skills seem to have deserted him in the opening months of the year, though, with Mac Allister’s recent display against Tottenham highlighting just how little he’s offering the team right now. Some rest might do him good, but Slot really needs his midfield general to remember why he was regarded as one of the Premier League’s best midfielders.
6
New Signings Start to Repay Transfer Fees
While Wirtz’s shortcomings at Anfield have been one of the big stories of the season, Liverpool supporters will no doubt want to see better performances from several other signings who have failed to hit the mark so far. Alexander Isak has struggled to get up to speed since his record-breaking £125m move from Newcastle United, but had shown signs he was improving before suffering a lower leg and ankle injury against Spurs.
At left-back, Milos Kerkez has looked a shadow of the player that he was while at Bournemouth. His marauding runs forward have been few and far between, while there have been a multitude of errors in his game. And as for Jeremie Frimpong, the man who was meant to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back has barely played in 2025/26, featuring in just five Premier League matches.
With the outlay on the trio coming close to £200m, Slot needs more from both of his new full-back recruits immediately. And he’ll also be hoping that after an error-free recovery period, Isak can start showing the world why Liverpool spent so big to bring him to Anfield.
