BIRMINGHAM, England -- If you can't be good, be lucky. Unfortunately for Liverpool, they have not been either over the course of this torturous campaign.
It is hard to know which of the Reds' 19 defeats in all competitions has constituted the nadir of this shambolic title defense. Surely their latest -- an error-strewn 4-2 loss against Aston Villa -- is a strong contender.
By now, though, this is a familiar dance for Arne Slot's side. Too often this term, there have been heads in hands and angsty recriminations. Too often, Liverpool have been, by quite some distance, second best.
- Each PL team reranked: Man City rise; Chelsea, Liverpool collapse - Why Champions League can't tell us much about Premier League - Should Liverpool sack Slot? Weighing the arguments for and against
The Reds' assignment on Friday night was, on paper, a simple one: win and they would salvage UEFA Champions League qualification from the wreckage of a season fans and players alike are only too eager to forget. That they failed to do so means their hopes of winning a seat at Europe's top table now hang in the balance, with the matter likely to be decided on the final day next weekend, when Liverpool host Brentford at Anfield.
In truth, the writing was on the wall early in the second half at Villa Park when Ryan Gravenberch -- with Liverpool already losing 1-0 -- tumbled to the turf after being outmuscled by Youri Tielemans in midfield. It was a tableau that encapsulated the very worst of Slot's side, who have so often looked ill-equipped this season for both the mental and physical rigors of this sport.
The Reds had actually had the better of proceedings in the first half but, with striker Alexander Isak sidelined and Mohamed Salah only fit enough for a place on the bench, they lacked the potency to really trouble Villa's defense.
Sources told ESPN Isak's absence was precautionary, with Liverpool keen to protect the Sweden international following his return from a broken leg last month.
Still, it is impossible to escape the fact that Slot's side have so far had a meager return on last summer's £125 million investment in a striker that was expected to take them to the next level. A tame second-half shot from Florian Wirtz -- introduced from the bench after recovering from illness -- only compounded the overwhelming sense that Liverpool's big-money signings have been distinctly underwhelming.
The visitors' failure to capitalize on their early dominance opened the door for Morgan Rogers to curl home a fine strike shortly before halftime, igniting a spark in a Villa side that had up until that point seemed to have one eye on next week's UEFA Europa League final.