Gary Neville Urges Liverpool to 'Do Something Different' Amid Defensive Collapse

Liverpool's title defence has descended into crisis, and Gary Neville isn't holding back. The Sky Sports pundit has described the reigning champions' collapse as "unacceptable" following their humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest—their sixth loss in just seven Premier League matches.

A Shocking Fall from Grace

The Reds now find themselves languishing in 11th place, marking their worst start to a season since 2014. More alarmingly, they sit in the bottom half of the table for the first time in a decade. For a club that swept to the Premier League title under Arne Slot just last season, the turnaround has been nothing short of catastrophic.

Neville didn't mince words when assessing the situation: "What is unusual is the severity and immediacy of the drop, and the worrying signs that are appearing. A blip is losing one or two games, when you start losing three and four you have to do something."

Tactical Changes Required

The former Manchester United right-back believes Slot must abandon his current approach and implement urgent tactical modifications. Neville specifically called for a more pragmatic defensive setup, suggesting Liverpool adopt a narrow back four with Joe Gomez at right-back and Andy Robertson on the left.

"The manager has to change the style or the system and help them," Neville explained on his podcast. "It means being more solid, personnel changes. Milos Kerkez is struggling, Ibrahima Konate is struggling."

Defensive Concerns Mounting

Liverpool's defensive frailties have been brutally exposed in recent weeks. The champions have conceded 20 goals in their opening 12 matches and kept just three clean sheets. They've shipped three goals in matches against Forest, Manchester City, Crystal Palace, and Brentford.

Neville pointed to specific problem areas: "I called on it a few weeks ago, I said maybe Joe Gomez should play right-back, Andy Robertson at left-back and play as a narrow back four. Be a bit more pragmatic. Something has to change in the collective."

The pundit also emphasized that players need to return to basics: "From an individual perspective you have to strip it right back to the foundations, whether that's sleep, stretching, eating, the tiny details. Do everything better."

Credit in the Bank—But Time is Running Out

Despite the dire situation, Neville acknowledged that Slot has earned some breathing room thanks to last season's remarkable title triumph after succeeding Jurgen Klopp. However, he warned that patience won't last forever.

"Slot is a brilliant manager with real class, but he's got to reverse and do something different—maybe make some difficult decisions," Neville said. "He's going to come under pressure, let's not get too carried away with that. The players have to step up, or it will become a problem."

Captain Virgil van Dijk echoed these concerns, admitting the team is letting down their manager and calling the season "a mess." The Dutchman implored his teammates to take responsibility and "look in the mirror."

Big Players Going Missing

Perhaps most concerning for Liverpool is the disappearance of their star players when it matters most. Mohamed Salah started brightly against Forest but quickly faded. New signing Alexander Isak has been non-existent, losing all seven duels in his latest appearance. He's now the only Liverpool player in the Premier League era to lose his first four starts for the club.

Alexis Mac Allister squandered Liverpool's one clear chance against Forest, a miss that proved costly as the visitors took control. With 74 percent possession but three goals conceded, Liverpool's issues clearly run deeper than simple bad luck.

A Defining Period Ahead

Liverpool face a crucial run of fixtures that could define their season. Matches against PSV Eindhoven, West Ham, Sunderland, Leeds, and Inter Milan will test whether Slot can implement the changes Neville and others are demanding.

The message from Neville is clear: "You can't lose six games in seven if you are Liverpool Football Club. It's unacceptable."

Whether Slot heeds the advice of his critics or sticks to his principles remains to be seen. But one thing is certain—without immediate improvement, Liverpool's season could spiral from crisis to complete disaster.