Liverpool is suffering the first real bump in the roads after two consecutive defeats in the Premier League (2-1 against Crystal Palace) and Champions League (1-0 against Galatasaray). Arne Slot's side was unstoppable last year in England, and was only eliminated from Champions League in penalties by the eventual winner PSG.
This year, they still sit at the top of the Premier League table. However, after spending more than €500m in signings last summer, they don't seem to be working right away, and Liverpool fans are now bracing for a transitional period that could be longer and harsher than initially expected.
BBC asked some fans what they thought of Tuesday's defeat against Galatasaray, and despite losing to only "one dubious penalty", as one fan pointed out, they were not entirely surprised about the defeat and "Liverpool's problems were of their own making".
"Poor and hasty decisions can cost us more than just the result", said Dax, who though that "the injuries to Alisson and Ekitike were the result of poor balls by our players". Sukie though that the team underperformed individually and collectively, and the only new player clicking is Hugo Ekitike. She feels a discrepancy between Slot's style of using a small and consistent set of players with all the new players he has to work this year.
"This is looking like 2020-21 all over again when we won the league in the previous season. A lack of defensive options due to a lack of strength in depth, and an over-reliance on attack to bail us out nearly cost us our season" says Ben, who knows it's "too early to be reaching for the panic button yet but, at this rate, it's going to be a long slog until we can sort things out in January".
And a much less calm fan called Bradley said he is "absolutely sick and tired of these performances from Liverpool and some of those players should be ashamed of themselves", who can't understand how they can spend so much money and somehow be worse. "If a remedy isn't found soon, Arne Slot must be questioned".