Match Preview: Liverpool face 'defining moment' against Eintracht Frankfurt

Liverpool are under pressure after Sunday's defeat to Manchester United...

This Champions League tie between Liverpool and Eintracht Frankfurt is a defining moment. The Reds arrive in Germany wounded, fragile, and a little lost. Four consecutive defeats to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray, Chelsea, and Manchester United have exposed the cracks in Arne Slot’s setup. This match offers not just a huge opportunity to get this season back on track before it’s too late.

Anything less than a win can not be tolerated. Beat Eintracht Frankfurt or admit the wheels are coming off.

Goals Galore or Another Collapse?

Eintracht Frankfurt’s record this season is frankly bonkers. In just 10 matches across all competitions, a staggering 54 goals have been scored—30 for, 24 against. This is not a side that plays cagey, tactical football. This is chaos football. High lines, full-backs bombing forward, space all over the pitch. That should suit Liverpool, right?

Wrong.

Liverpool of old would’ve salivated at the thought. Salah spinning in behind, Gakpo gliding through gaps, and a midfield dictating rhythm. But this Liverpool isn’t controlled, compact or clinical. It’s a side that concedes far too easily, loses shape under pressure, and forgets basic defensive principles the moment possession is turned over. Frankfurt will be licking their lips, and why wouldn’t they be?

Tactical Fragility Can’t Be Ignored

Slot has a major job on his hands. His commitment to attacking football is admirable. So was Brendan Rodgers’ before it collapsed under the weight of its own naivety. The same patterns are emerging now. When Liverpool lose the ball, there is no midfield presence, no structure, no fallback plan. In the Premier League and now the UEFA Champions League, teams have learned the blueprint: expose the flanks, counter quickly, and punish the full-backs.

This tactical vulnerability can’t be chalked up to injuries or teething problems. It’s systemic. Against Manchester United at Anfield, the wide areas were criminally underprotected. Gravenberch was isolated, Mac Allister anonymous, and the defensive line exposed time and again.

If Slot persists with the same midfield set-up against Frankfurt, Liverpool will get picked apart. This isn’t about one player being off form. It’s about balance. And right now, there is none.

Time for Change, Time for Courage

If Liverpool are going to dig themselves out of this slump, Slot must be bold and ruthless. That starts with selection. Too many underperforming names have survived week after week on reputation. That ends here.

Liverpool predicted XI: Mamardashvili, Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Szoboszlai, Jones, Wirtz, Chiesa, Ekitike, Gakpo.

Let’s break this down.

In goal, Mamardashvili is a no-brainer. The defence sees Frimpong come in, and while he’s yet to fully convince, his recovery pace is essential against a side with explosive transitions. Robertson walks back in. He’s calmer on the ball, more experienced, and frankly, the drop-off to his understudy is too severe.

The midfield is key. Mac Allister needs a spell on the bench. Curtis Jones is ready and deserving. Alongside Szoboszlai, who remains one of the few shining lights in recent weeks, Jones provides energy, discipline, and a more natural pairing to allow Wirtz to roam and create.

And up front? Salah needs a wake-up call. He’s lost a yard of pace, his confidence is gone, and the right-wing has become a black hole in recent matches. Federico Chiesa simply can’t do more to earn himself a starting spot. Ekitike, however, must be unleashed. He’s been the most impactful attacker for Liverpool this season and has earned the right to lead the line. Gakpo keeps his place for balance and intelligence.

Arne Slot Is at a Crossroads

This match isn’t just about qualifying for the UEFA Champions League knockouts. It’s about asserting that this Liverpool side still has a backbone. Four defeats in a row have already left fans questioning the direction of the project. A fifth, particularly against a Frankfurt side that has conceded six in two Champions League games and looks as fragile defensively as Liverpool, would be catastrophic.

Slot won the Premier League last season, but that already feels like a long time ago. The players don’t look sure of their roles. There’s hesitation in attack and panic in defence. Tactically, the weaknesses are obvious. Every opponent seems to know how to get at Liverpool. That has to change now.

Frankfurt will more than likely score. Their forward line is energetic, direct and unrelenting. But Liverpool should score too. It’ll be a serious task for Liverpool to take full control of this one.

Slot has earned goodwill, but even that has its limits. A defeat here would be the first time since September 1953 that Liverpool have lost five straight competitive matches. That would put him under immense pressure.

Score prediction: Eintracht Frankfurt 1-3 Liverpool