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Jamie Carragher thinks Liverpool have been 'left behind' by the Premier League because of Arne Slot's desire to play 'sexy' football.
The champions are enduring a poor title defence, the latest low of which was their 3-0 defeat by Manchester City on Sunday.
The Reds have lost an extraordinary seven of their last 10 games and Carragher believes among the many problems they face, the changing style of the Premier League has caught them out.
Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, he said: 'I do think the people buying the players and the manager have tried to take a team of last season that won the league but in Slot's eyes he wanted it to be more sexy, more entertaining.
'He's always speaking about PSG, he loves Pep. You know he's trying to move that team to more football and more goals, and the league has moved that way.
'The league has gone powerful, set-pieces, long throws and Liverpool have been left behind. They've almost just got it wrong, the way the game's going.'
Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool's ambition to be entertaining is to their detriment
Arne Slot's side lost 3-0 away at Manchester City in the latest blow in a poor campaign
Perhaps the best exponent of that trend for physical, set-piece dominated football are Arsenal, who are currently top of the table and unbeaten in the Champions League.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have looked as though they have a soft underbelly and are struggling with bedding in their new signings.
Florian Wirtz is yet to register a goal or assist in the Premier League, while fellow marquee signing Alexander Isak has struggled to stay fit.
Wayne Rooney added that teams have worked out how to target Liverpool, especially down the right flank.
He said: 'To be hard to beat you need every player to work and I just think this season teams have targeted down the right. Salah doesn't run back as much.
'There's obvious concern for Liverpool down there because he's not getting back and not having the consistency of a right-back playing every game, I think teams are targeting down there.
'Cucurella said they targeted down that side after the Chelsea game, I think City did the same. I felt sorry for Bradley on Sunday, he needed help. Gravenberch is doing as much as he can to get across and help him but then there's space in the middle.
Rooney went on to contrast Salah's efforts in the impressive away win at the Etihad last term to his most recent showing.
Carragher believes Slot wants to play 'sexy' football but the Premier League style is now more attritional and set-piece heavy
He added: 'Salah last season City was the hardest I've ever seen him work, but on Sunday he didn't. There are big gaps and holes and that's where you look open. Konate then has to go out as well, he has been poor this season.
'The manager has to show authority on that, or Salah has to be responsible. This is part of what I was saying with Van Dijk as captain, he should be telling Salah to get back in.'
Rooney's parting shot was a reference to his very public disagreement with Van Dijk having originally taken umbrage with Van Dijk and Salah’s way of leading the team during their recent slump in form, saying their mannerisms were a ‘big concern’.
The Liverpool skipper then hit back after steering his side to victory over Aston Villa, calling the criticism 'lazy'.
And then he shared an awkward live broadcast with Rooney on Amazon Prime after the Real Madrid win last week.
Virgil van Dijk should be 'telling Mo Salah' to get back in and defend, says Wayne Rooney
The Liverpool captain said: 'If you lose games as a Liverpool player, four or five in a row, it’s a fair criticism, but I think its over the top at times as well. But that’s because we live in a world where there’s so many platforms, so many people can say stuff and will be picked up and made bigger.
'I think it’s good that when ex-players who’ve played at the highest level, who dealt with difficult moments, put a lot of things in perspective…'
Rooney then defended his previous criticism, saying: 'What I've said was fair, when you win the Premier League and go on a run where you lose games in a row that you don't expect of the Liverpool of the last few years... Virgil as captain that’s your opportunity to go and lead the players, and that’s what I was saying.'
Liverpool are currently eighth in the Premier League table heading into the international break and will desperately be seeking an upturn in form when they return.
The Reds face Nottingham Forest and PSV at home upon their return before a trip to face West Ham.
