Following Liverpool's Champions League exit at the hands of Paris St-Germain, manager Arne Slot expressed his disappointment, citing missed opportunities, injuries, and VAR decisions as contributing factors to their struggles this season. This analysis examines the validity of Slot's claims by examining Liverpool's performance in the Champions League and Premier League. Liverpool created 1.92 Expected Goals but failed to score against PSG, a recurring issue for the team. Slot stated, "Unfortunately, it's one of the many examples of this season where we weren't able to score from the many chances we had." The Reds have underperformed in terms of xG in the Champions League, scoring 24 goals from 27.8xG, but their Premier League record shows a smaller differential of 0.65 between their goals and xG.
However, Liverpool have struggled with converting big chances, missing 59 of 86 clear-cut openings in the Premier League. Players like Curtis Jones, Florian Wirtz, and Alexis Mac Allister have underperformed their individual xG totals, while Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have also missed significant chances.
The team's injury woes, including Alexander Isak's broken leg and Hugo Ekitike's recent injury, have further complicated their season. Slot has also expressed frustration with VAR decisions, citing several instances where the officials' calls have gone against his team. Despite these challenges, Slot remains optimistic about the team's future, given the quality of their young players, including Ryan Gravenberch, Ekitike, Wirtz, and Milos Kerkez.
With six games remaining in the Premier League, Liverpool needs to secure a top-five finish to qualify for the Champions League and capitalize on their potential next season.