'We crumbled' - another loss, another unwanted record for leaky Liverpool

In Birmingham on Friday night, their only real threat all evening came from 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha. Credit to the teenager for being one of the rare sparks of joy this season but Liverpool needed senior players to step up.

In midfield and defence, Liverpool have been poor, conceding more than 50 goals in a 38-game Premier League campaign for the first time (52). Excluding penalties, they have conceded the most goals from set-pieces in the Premier League this season (20).

"We've conceded far too many goals - but I think we've also scored not enough goals," Slot told Sky Spots. "We were fully in the game, fully able maybe to get a result but I agree that after it went 2-1 we crumbled."

"They're disjointed at the back and I feel like there's a lot of space for me to run into. I'm going to get chances against them," said Ollie Watkins, who took two of those chances during a chaotic second half.

With one point in the past three games for Liverpool, the chance is still there for Bournemouth or Brighton to capitalise and take the last Champions League spot.

It is entirely Liverpool's own doing that they could host Brentford at Anfield next weekend, where Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson will bid farewell, with it all still to play for. Either way, it is hard to see how Slot wins back the fanbase from here.

"There are mitigating circumstances from before the season," former Reds midfielder Jamie Redknapp said on Sky Sports.

"You can't address problems when his best players aren't fit - but a lot of this is on him [Slot] and if they don't get Champions League football he is going to be under pressure and there will be question marks.

"They're an educated fanbase, they don't really turn on their managers - but you see it, you hear it, a lot of people are maybe going away from wanting him as the manager next year.

"I really struggle with that because when you've won the league the year before and decide you want to get rid of the manager the following year - that doesn't sit well with me. I think he deserves another year after winning the Premier League title. But I expect better next year."

Could Liverpool really end up missing out on Champions League football?

Bournemouth and Brighton could still overtake Liverpool in the race for the Champions League, with both sides yet to play their penultimate games.

Brighton, who are six points behind Liverpool and level on goal difference, travel to Leeds on Sunday (15:00 BST) while Bournemouth, who trail Liverpool by four points, host Manchester City on Tuesday (20:00 BST)

A win for either of those sides would take the race for Champions League qualification into the final day of the campaign, when Liverpool host Brentford, Brighton welcome Manchester United and Bournemouth travel to Nottingham Forest.

Anything less than three points for Brighton at Leeds would see Fabian Hurzeler's side drop out of contention, while Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth need at least a point against Manchester City to stay in the hunt.

And, if both Bournemouth and Brighton win, then Liverpool will head into the final day of the season one point ahead of Bournemouth and three points ahead of Brighton.

But if both Bournemouth and Brighton lose their next games, then Liverpool will secure Champions League football before the final game of the season.