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Premier League legend Thierry Henry believes Liverpool have been affected by a 'weird atmosphere' around the team in recent weeks. The Reds suffered a 1-0 reverse against Leicester City on Tuesday.
It was Liverpool's second loss of their 2021-22 Premier League campaign and their first since early November. Defeat at the King Power Stadium means Jurgen Klopp's side are now six points behind league leaders Manchester City.
Liverpool have seemingly suffered a blip in recent times. They drew 2-2 with Tottenham Hotspur in the league and 3-3 with Leicester in the Carabao Cup. While they secured a win against the Foxes on penalties, it did raise a few concerns.
Their latest defeat to Brendan Rodgers' side will only add to the scrutiny. Speaking after the game to Amazon Prime Video Sport (via Daily Mail), Thierry Henry said:
"There were already (bad) signs in the games against Newcastle and the cup against Leicester. Yes, it wasn't the same starting lineup – but against Tottenham there were signs of them not being at their best."
Henry added:
"There was kind of a weird atmosphere and momentum. They just got by. Before those games, they were killing teams."
Liverpool's dip in form has coincided with Manchester City's imperious unbeaten run. Pep Guardiola's side closed the calendar year with nine consecutive Premier League wins. They have hit their stride, scoring 21 times in their last five league games.
Problems aplenty for Liverpool heading into 2022
While Klopp will be concerned about his side's recent results, he also knows they need to recover their mojo soon. Liverpool travel to Chelsea on January 2, and defeat in that clash will send them to third place in the league.
They'll next take on Arsenal in the two-legged EFL Cup semi-finals, with an FA Cup fixture against Shrewsbury Town in between. The Reds will then face Brentford and Crystal Palace before hosting Leicester City in the Premier League.
Liverpool will lose Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in the coming weeks, as they'll feature at the Africa Cup of Nations. The absence of their two primary goalscorers, combined with their recent form and a tricky fixture list, is potentially worrisome.
