Alan Shearer hands Liverpool worrying Arne Slot verdict after Bournemouth defeat

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Alan Shearer reckons Liverpool are grappling with serious issues after their crushing loss to Bournemouth . The Merseysiders clawed their way back from 2-0 down to level the score and appeared poised to snatch victory, only for Amine Adli to deliver a devastating late blow.

It was a familiar feeling of heartbreak for Arne Slot , whose team couldn't deal with a chaotic scramble in the penalty area deep into added time. The inability to clear the ball allowed Adli to bundle it over the line and seal a vital three points for the Cherries in another memorable evening for the side.

Liverpool have now gone five Premier League matches without a win, prompting Shearer to observe on Match of the Day: "Having gone 2-0 up and getting pegged back to 2-2, Bournemouth showed great character in coming back to somehow find a way to win the game and get three desperately needed points.

"I don't think anyone could say they didn't deserve it, given how hard they worked. They have been through a bit of a difficult period, with the team slipping down the table and Antoine Semenyo leaving, but Andoni Iraola is doing a really good job and showing why he'll be a manager in demand when his contract is up in the summer.

"From Bournemouth's point of view, they would have looked at Liverpool and thought, 'Why can't we beat them?' – Arne Slot's side look miles off the team we saw last season.

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"Liverpool just don't look right in all areas. They're making too many errors and are weak defensively, as we saw with the winning goal. While they scored two goals from set-pieces, they didn't create anywhere near enough from open play.

"Their focus now should be on rescuing the season by securing a spot in the Champions League through a top-four or potentially top-five finish – a significant decline from their performance last season."

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Shearer then looked at the form over the past few weeks, and added further concern over the types of teams they are failing to pick points up against. He said: "Those results, I know they're draws, but when you're not beating Leeds, you're not beating Fulham , you're not beating Burnley ... the Arsenal performance was a good one, but that tells you there's big problems at Anfield."

Former Premier League defender Ashley Williams chimed in: "No, there doesn't [appear to be a settled combination of players]. I don't think he [Slot] knows what's his best team.

"But what's more worrying is the same way we're praising Bournemouth for the fact they can interchange players, and they all seem on the same page, between the units, it seems like they're so disjointed, Liverpool. They've got problems at both ends of the pitch, and they're lacking that desire and ruthlessness in front of goal, and to defend the goal."

The challenges for Liverpool don't end at Bournemouth, with a few tough fixtures coming up across all competitions for the Reds. Slot will be looking to seal a top-eight Champions League place with the clash against Qarabag, before attention turns back towards the Premier League.

Newcastle and Man City await the Merseyside outfit in the next two league matches, where they will be keen to gain some momentum after recent struggles. The reverse fixtures of those clashes brought about mixed results, with a late win over Newcastle early in the campaign, while the Reds were on the end of a 3-0 thumping against City.