Jamie Carragher called Liverpool's performance in their 1-1 draw with Sunderland "really, really worrying".
Out-of-sorts Liverpool needed a Nordi Mukiele own goal to rescue a fortunate 1-1 draw at Anfield.
The plucky visitors were on course for their first win at Anfield for 42 years before Florian Wirtz struck, thinking he had scored his first Premier League goal to draw his below-par side level, only for the strike to be latterly accredited to Mukiele.
Since sealing the title with a 5-1 win over Tottenham at the end of April, Liverpool have taken just 23 points from 18 games and have won just three of their last 14 games in all competitions.
Carragher, who was on co-commentary, said: "The performance was really, really worrying. It feels like a step back. They didn't look like scoring. They were lacking zip, energy, pace and power. It's really worrying."
On Sunderland's opening goal, Carragher said: "Liverpool have been awful. Sunderland have been so much sharper. Virgil van Dijk turns his back. That goal sums up Liverpool in this game."
And, on their first half performance, he said: "Liverpool have been awful. They are sleepwalking through the game, everything feels so slow. Liverpool need to get organised for the second half, there's far too much space all over the pitch."
Liverpool travel to Leeds on Saturday, live on SportNews.
Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge speaking on SportNews:
"The manager doesn't know his best XI. Players are coming in and finding their fitness, Wirtz and Isak. The players are trying to find their rhythm and the manager is seeking confidence and assurances. Today was the first time I've noticed that the manager has changed what he would typically do. They've got to make a decision on what the structure is and roll with it."
SportNews' Jamie Redknapp has cast doubt on the future of Mohamed Salah at the club after he was left out of Liverpool's starting XI for a second game in a row.
He said: "As good as Salah has been, everything comes to an end.
"It does feel that something has to give. There is no way that Mo Salah is going to be content to be a bit-part player.
"Whether it is in January or in the summer...I can only see that outcome.
"Once the trust is broken, especially with someone like Mo, who needs confidence and love from a manager...I feel it is going to come to a head."
Liverpool have failed to win three successive games at Anfield in all competitions for the first time since a run of eight in March 2021. What is going so badly wrong?
'Elementary mistakes'
Slot's side are making basic errors all over the pitch. Redknapp made the point post-match that the once imperious Virgil van Dijk has been one of the worst offenders in recent weeks, caught "second-guessing" himself.
The opening for Talbi's goal was manufactured via a long goal-kick, where Isidor beats Ibrahima Konate to the first contact. Van Dijk then steps in to win the ball and does so, but panics with his distribution and concedes possession, before backing off and turning his back on Talbi's shot. All rudimentary stuff.
Second best in duels
Liverpool failed to match Sunderland's intensity throughout, a yard slower to react and, at times, unwilling to even run.
Joe Gomez, praised for his solidity in victory over West Ham at the weekend, lost eight of the nine duels he contested.
Salah lost all four of his in the second half. Even Dominik Szoboszlai, widely accepted as Liverpool's most athletic midfielder, only won one of five ground duels. Overall, Sunderland made more tackles, more interceptions and more blocks, while also landing more shots on target at the opposite end.
Toothless up top
Alexander Isak's poor start to life at Anfield shows no signs of upturn.
He might have scored in victory over West Ham, but that's a side who have shipped 27 goals this season. His anonymity is alarming for a player that cost £125m barely three months ago.
Hugo Ekitike generated more xG value than he did and was only on the pitch for 16 minutes. And even more damning still, so did Chiesa, after being introduced 86 minutes in. Of the three efforts Isak mustered, zero hit the target, while he managed the same number of touches in the opposition box as Van Dijk (two).
