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Last season’s Premier League triumph perhaps disguised the reality that Liverpool are now at a crossroads between two distinct eras.

Here’s a question worth asking — did Liverpool, behind closed doors, sense that this dip in form was on the horizon? Because increasingly, it feels like they might have had an inkling.

Of course, it’s important not to attribute Liverpool’s struggles too heavily to one factor, especially given the emotional toll following the tragic loss of Diogo Jota during the summer. The human cost of that event cannot be understated, and no one should trivialise what the club and players endured.

Nevertheless, football continues, and the club must carry on. It might seem harsh to analyse things purely from a sporting standpoint, but in truth, there’s no other way to do it. Even before the summer began, Liverpool were already embarking on what looked like a substantial rebuild — one that few thought was entirely necessary at the time.

It’s fair to criticise Liverpool’s recruitment strategy, given how much they spent last summer on players who didn’t necessarily address the team’s most pressing needs. Key problem areas were left untouched while large sums were committed elsewhere.

Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez were widely praised signings at the time — no one really questioned those moves. But injuries hampered Frimpong, and Kerkez’s performances nosedived upon his arrival at Anfield. From being one of the league’s top left-backs, he suddenly looked erratic and undisciplined.

Meanwhile, Liverpool’s central defence and wide positions have been problematic all season — hardly a surprise. The decision not to strengthen those roles, especially after selling Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich, remains curious. When you look at the players they did bring in, it’s difficult not to wonder whether the massive outlay could have been used more effectively elsewhere.

Would they really have spent £125 million on Alexander Isak had they known Hugo Ekitike would develop so impressively?

Considering that Alisson is still performing at a high level — despite his recurring injury concerns — was this the right time to spend £25 million on a young goalkeeper? Especially when limited opportunities already had Caoimhin Kelleher contemplating a move away?

And was £100 million for Florian Wirtz truly a top priority, given that Liverpool boasted one of the most balanced midfields in the Premier League last season?

These are all legitimate questions. Yet, to be fair, perhaps there was some underlying logic to their approach.

The forward line clearly needed refreshing. Diaz wanted to leave despite being a first-team regular. Darwin Nunez failed to convince. Mohamed Salah had just turned 33. Federico Chiesa looks destined to remain a rotation player, while 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha is still a long-term prospect. Cody Gakpo, after early promise, has stalled and now looks more like a taller version of Ryan Babel — or ‘the Tower of Babel’, if you will.

Even then, reinforcing the attack seemed less urgent than replacing Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate in central defence. But football markets don’t always align with a club’s ideal timing.

Liverpool clearly felt that if they didn’t move for Ekitike, Isak, and Wirtz immediately, they might never get them. If the management genuinely believed these three could form the backbone of their attack for the next three to five years, then their aggressive spending makes some sense.

Looking back, one wonders whether Liverpool were seriously contemplating letting Salah and Van Dijk go after last season, only to realise that such moves would leave them unable to afford quality replacements.

Extending both players’ contracts, therefore, might have been a calculated short-term measure — keeping them around while allowing the club to pursue other crucial signings. They likely understood that both players were on the decline — Van Dijk’s regression had already begun, and Salah’s was inevitable — but felt the trade-off was worthwhile to stabilise other areas of the squad.

Still, that reasoning now feels unconvincing. Marc Guehi was a clear and attainable option if Liverpool had simply met Crystal Palace’s valuation, but their hesitation allowed Manchester City to swoop in instead.

The real evaluation will come next. If Liverpool can correct course, their compromises this season might eventually look like necessary steps in a larger transition.

Supporters may not appreciate the comparison, but there’s a lesson to be drawn from Manchester United’s period between 2003 and 2006.

Finishing third, third, and second in successive Premier League seasons while repeatedly falling short in the Champions League — even exiting at the group stage in 2005/06 — marked a significant downturn for a club that had recently achieved the treble. During that time, several icons of the Class of ’92 departed, along with captain Roy Keane.

Yet, look at what United built in their place: Cristiano Ronaldo joined in 2003, followed by Gabriel Heinze and Wayne Rooney in 2004. Then came Edwin van der Sar, Park Ji-Sung, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra, and Michael Carrick over the following year. Those acquisitions laid the foundation for one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s greatest sides — four league titles and three Champions League finals, including one triumph, within five years.

So, did Liverpool anticipate a similar transition phase? Their ambitious summer recruitment after a title win suggests they might have, though they probably didn’t expect the decline to be this steep. Or perhaps more accurately, they never expected a team already in transition to clinch the Premier League in the first place.

But this is a less forgiving era than the early 2000s — and Liverpool will need to prove quickly that they’re on the right path again.