If you just glance at the league table, you might think everything at Anfield is basically "business as usual." But honestly, that’s such a lazy take. After the emotional earthquake of the Jürgen Klopp era ending, everyone expected a massive hangover. Or a total collapse. Instead, we’re sitting here in mid-January 2026, and the recent football results for liverpool tell a much weirder, more nuanced story than the "top four battle" narrative you see on the news.
Arne Slot has turned this team into a tactical puzzle.
Take Monday’s 4-1 thumping of Barnsley in the FA Cup. On paper? A routine win. But if you actually watched it, the tension was thick. Andy Robertson was absolutely fuming after the game—literally calling out Dominik Szoboszlai for an "unacceptable" back-heel mistake. That’s the vibe right now. It’s high-stakes, high-stress, and surprisingly clinical.
The January Gridlock: Why the Draws Actually Matter
The start of 2026 has been... quiet. Maybe too quiet.
Liverpool kicked off the New Year with a 0-0 grind against Leeds. Then came a 2-2 rollercoaster at Fulham, followed by another 0-0 stalemate against Arsenal at the Emirates on January 8th. People see two goals in three league games and start whispering about a "boring" Liverpool. They’re wrong.
That Arsenal result was actually a masterclass in defensive discipline. Jeremie Frimpong—who has been a revelation since arriving from Leverkusen for £29.5 million—was a constant menace on the wing. It wasn't the heavy metal football of 2022. It was calculated. Slot is playing chess while the rest of the league is still trying to play checkers.
🔗 Read more: Hulk Hogan Lifting Andre the Giant: What Really Happened at WrestleMania III
The football results for liverpool in these big games show a team that has finally learned how to not lose. Last season, they might have pushed too hard and conceded a late winner. This year? They take the point and move on.
The Isak and Wirtz Factor: Paying the Price for Success
Let's talk about the elephant in the room: the money. Liverpool spent big. Really big.
- Alexander Isak: £125 million (a British record).
- Florian Wirtz: £100 million.
- Hugo Ekitike: £69 million.
When you spend nearly half a billion pounds in a single summer, "pretty good" results aren't enough. People want blood. They want 5-0 wins every week. But look at Hugo Ekitike’s stats. The kid has 12 goals across all competitions already. He’s the one providing the spark while Isak finds his feet after that massive move from Newcastle.
It’s easy to forget that this is a squad in massive transition. We lost Diogo Jota in such tragic circumstances last July, and the club retired his number 20 shirt. You can't just "replace" that kind of emotional core with a checkbook. The team is still healing, and you can see it in the way they play. There’s a grit there that wasn't there before.
Why the Champions League is the Real Litmus Test
While the Premier League form has been a bit "stuttery," the European football results for liverpool have been a different beast entirely.
💡 You might also like: Formula One Points Table Explained: Why the Math Matters More Than the Racing
That 5-1 demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt back in October remains the high point of the Slot era so far. It showed what happens when the system clicks. They’ve also managed a 1-0 win over Real Madrid at Anfield—a result that felt like a changing of the guard.
However, the 4-1 loss to PSV was a massive wake-up call. It proved that if the midfield—usually anchored by Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch—loses its shape, the whole house of cards falls down.
Current Standings and the Road Ahead
As of January 13, 2026, Liverpool sits 4th in the Premier League.
| Competition | Position/Status |
|---|---|
| Premier League | 4th (35 points) |
| FA Cup | Fourth Round (vs Burnley) |
| Champions League | League Phase (6th) |
| EFL Cup | Eliminated (Fourth Round) |
The gap to Arsenal at the top is 14 points. That’s a mountain. Honestly, the title is likely out of reach unless there’s a historic collapse in North London. But the race for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th is a total dogfight between City, Villa, and Brentford.
What Most Fans Get Wrong About Arne Slot
There’s this persistent myth that Slot is just "Klopp-lite." It’s nonsense.
📖 Related: El Paso Locomotive FC Standings: Why the 2025 Surge Changes Everything for 2026
Klopp was about the "chaos." Slot is about the "control."
He’s integrated youth players like Rio Ngumoha—who became the club’s youngest scorer at 16—with a cold, calculated efficiency. He isn't afraid to bench big names if they don't fit the defensive structure. The football results for liverpool lately reflect this shift. We are seeing more 1-0s and 0-0s because the priority has shifted from outscoring the opponent to out-thinking them.
What to Watch For Next
If you’re following the Reds, keep your eyes on the January 17th clash against Burnley. It’s at Anfield. It’s a "must-win" in every sense of the word. After three straight league draws, the fans are getting restless.
The team needs to prove they can break down a low block without relying on a moment of magic from Mo Salah, who is still a king but can't carry the whole city on his back forever.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts:
- Watch the Wing-Backs: Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez are the true engines of this system. If they are pinned back, Liverpool struggles to create.
- Monitor the Discipline: Robertson’s public criticism of Szoboszlai suggests a locker room that is demanding more from itself. This "mean streak" could be what secures a trophy this spring.
- The Isak Integration: Keep an eye on Alexander Isak’s positioning. He’s been drifting wide to accommodate Ekitike, but Liverpool needs him in the box to justify that £125m price tag.
The season is far from over. While the "quadruple" talk died in October, a solid Champions League run and a top-three finish would be a massive success for a club that basically rebuilt itself from the ground up six months ago.
Check the official Premier League table and the upcoming FA Cup fourth-round draw to see how the path to Wembley is shaping up for the Reds.