The 2025-26 season has been a story of spectacular decline for two of England's recent trophy winners. Liverpool, the reigning Premier League champions, and Chelsea, the Club World Cup holders, have both endured campaigns that have left fans and pundits bewildered. Their meeting this Saturday is a clash between two giants grappling with profound underperformance.
For Liverpool, the collapse was entirely unforeseen. After coasting to the title by 10 points, the club embarked on a historic spending spree, investing nearly £450m. The marquee signings of Alexander Isak (£125m), Florian Wirtz (£116m), and Hugo Ekitiké (£79m) were meant to build a dynasty. Instead, the team produced its worst run in 71 years, losing nine of twelve matches. The new signings have struggled to gel, with Isak and Wirtz looking like poor fits for Arne Slot's system. The full-back replacements, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, have not reached the heights of their predecessors.
A catastrophic injury crisis has compounded Liverpool's problems. Key defender Giovanni Leoni suffered a season-ending ACL injury on his debut. Isak fractured his fibula and ankle while scoring his first goal. Conor Bradley and Ekitiké also sustained season-ending injuries, meaning the trio of Isak, Wirtz, and Ekitiké shared the pitch for just 115 minutes all season. Established stars like Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté, and Mohamed Salah have also experienced unexpected drops in form, with Salah publicly criticizing Slot after being benched.
Chelsea's implosion, meanwhile, centers on managerial chaos. The turning point was Enzo Maresca's surprise departure on New Year's Day to potentially succeed Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. The club promoted Liam Rosenior from partner club Strasbourg, but the 41-year-old struggled to win over the squad. His tenure was marked by unforced errors, a historically bad run, and a loss of dressing room control. Player power surfaced, culminating in Rosenior's sacking after just 107 days.
Indiscipline has plagued Chelsea, with too many red cards and defensive lapses. Off-field issues have been equally damaging. Enzo Fernández, openly courting a move to Real Madrid, received an internal two-game ban, and many players appeared to quit in Rosenior's final match, a 3-0 loss at Brighton. Rebellious interviews from Fernández and Marc Cucurella have heaped pressure on the unpopular BlueCo ownership, with fans directing fury at Clearlake Capital's Behdad Eghbali.
Both clubs point to mitigating factors. Liverpool manager Arne Slot has cited the tragic death of Diogo Jota and the need for last summer's upheaval. Chelsea note their lack of a proper pre-season due to the Club World Cup and the absence of key players like Levi Colwill and a fit Cole Palmer. For Liverpool, there are small positives: Hugo Ekitiké's 17-goal debut season and the promise of teenager Rio Ngumoha. Chelsea, meanwhile, face an FA Cup final against Manchester City next Saturday, a chance for redemption in a dismal year.
Based on reporting from Football | The Guardian.