Liverpool: Average age of starting XI in every Premier League season since 2016-17 | OneFootball

Is the average age of Liverpool’s starting XI behind the club’s struggles this season?

The Reds have got off to their worst start to a campaign for 10 years following Sunday’s 3-2 defeat away at Arsenal.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were expected to push Manchester City all the way again this term after finishing one point behind Pep Guardiola’s formidable team last season.

However, last season’s Champions League finalists have looked a shadow of their usual selves since August and have slumped down to 10th in the Premier League table.

In eight league fixtures, Liverpool have only managed to secure two victories so far - a record-equalling 9-0 win over Bournemouth followed by a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Newcastle United.

Since beating Newcastle, Liverpool have drawn against Everton (0-0) and Brighton (3-3) and have now lost to Arsenal. Next up in the Premier League: a tough game against Man City at Anfield this weekend.

It doesn’t get any easier for Klopp, who is looking increasingly beleaguered following his side’s poor start to the season.

Liverpool: What's the average age of their PL starting XI?

Sky Sports displayed a graphic on Sunday showing the average age of Liverpool’s starting line-ups in the Premier League over the past seven seasons.

Check it out:

Liverpool had the third youngest XI in 2016-17 (Klopp’s first full season as manager) followed by the youngest XI in 2017-18.

However, the Reds find themselves down in 18th position this season, with an average age of 27 years and 342 days

Arsenal, on the other hand, have the second youngest starting XI this term. Their average age is 24 years and 186 days.

Gary Neville on Liverpool: 'That wasn't heavy metal, it was bass guitar'

Speaking after the match, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville made some interesting observations about Liverpool following their defeat against Arsenal.

The former Manchester United captain said: “For Liverpool, is this a blip or is this a bit of a decline in terms of how they are at this moment in time?

"Generally, their performance in the second half will be a worry for Jurgen Klopp - not just the performance on the ball and how they played, but also off the ball, their ability to be able to get to the ball, and press, and harass.

"There was a point five or six years ago when [Mauricio] Pochettino was at Tottenham, and obviously Klopp was at Liverpool, where I had not seen aggressive, and hunting down of the football, like that before.

"We knew that Jurgen Klopp came to this country with heavy metal football being the actual premise and principle, but that was not heavy metal football (against Arsenal), that was like bass guitar.”

He added: "They were really, really lethargic in the second half. I’d be concerned if I was a Liverpool fan, coach or player in that second half.

"Look, they have got enough credit in the bank this Liverpool team and this Liverpool manager. And this Liverpool manager has done the best job of any manager in the last six, seven years, with what he has had to work with in terms of budget compared to the rest.

"So, they have enough credit in the bank for us not to go wild on them and say: 'This is the end of Liverpool'. That's not the case here, but there are concerns and worrying signs.

"It's the energy and the appetite in the games that they have had over the last couple of years in terms of trying to defend and press (that has been the issue).

"They look two or three yards off, and two or three yards in football is everything. If you're a yard off a world-class player it's too much."

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