Alexander Isak wasn't at his sharpest against West Ham, and Florian Wirtz is still chasing his first Premier League assist.

Liverpool played the Hammers in London, wanting to snap a three-game losing streak. Before Sunday, they had lost nine of their last 12 games, with new signings Isak and Wirtz struggling to find their place at Anfield.

Wirtz, who came from Bayer Leverkusen for £116 million ($153.7 million), hadn't gotten an assist or goal in the Premier League before Sunday. Isak only had one goal for Liverpool after his £125 million ($165.6 million) move from Newcastle.

Both players had another shot to make an impact against West Ham after Arne Slot changed his starting lineup, and Wirtz grabbed his chance in the first half. He was probably the best player on the field, setting up chances for Isak.

Around 15 minutes into the game, Wirtz made a great play. He dribbled down the left and crossed the ball into the six-yard box, but Isak couldn't connect with it. "That's a great ball," said ex-West Ham goalie Rob Green on Sky Sports.

A fit striker would attack the near post. Wirtz sees the space and aims to get the ball there.

West Ham's goalie, Alphonse Areola, also stopped Isak from close range in the first half. Isak is considered a top striker in Europe after scoring 54 Premier League goals in three years at Newcastle.

But Isak needs to get his form back if Liverpool wants to turn their season around. Before Sunday's game, Liverpool was in the bottom half of the Premier League, even after winning the league easily last season.

If Wirtz keeps playing like this, he'll start getting assists and goals in the Premier League soon. He also had a good scoring chance in the first half, but couldn't beat Areola.

"I'm watching Wirtz—he's in good spots and looks lively for Liverpool," said former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports, Wirtz has been the best player out there.

This is his best 45 minutes in a Liverpool shirt.

I thought he'd be on the right at first, but he's in his preferred spot, tucked in on the left.

He should have done better with his chance, but he has been better than everyone else.

A top reporter says Liverpool probably won't try to bring in another manager like Jurgen Klopp to replace Arne Slot if they decide to fire him.

Slot's job is getting shaky after losing nine of his last 12 games. Recently, they've lost three games in a row by three goals each. These were against teams they should have had a better chance of beating, which has raised concerns about his future.

Sources at Anfield say Slot is safe for now, but that could change if he doesn't turn things around soon. Some fans want Klopp to come back, even temporarily, to get Liverpool back on track.

But it sounds like a long shot. Sam Wallace, a chief football writer at the Daily Telegraph, says it would be sentimental and a bit desperate for Liverpool to try to get Klopp back.

Wallace points out three main reasons why Liverpool's owners, FSG, are unlikely to want Klopp back.

First, Klopp had disagreements with key people like Michael Edwards and Julian Ward in the past.

Edwards and Ward left Liverpool but have since returned in new roles after Klopp's departure in 2024. The owners might side with their current team now.

Wallace says that FSG president Mike Gordon, Edwards, Ward, and the others certainly won't want to go back to Klopp.

Second, FSG thinks managers can have slumps just like players. They're more likely to look at data that might support sticking with Slot (and their decision to pay £8 million to bring him in from Feyenoord last summer).

Finally, Klopp is currently working as the Head of Global Soccer for the Red Bull network of clubs.

So, even though Klopp recently said a Liverpool return was theoretically possible, it's very unlikely.

Arne Slot is still feeling the pressure.

Even though Klopp's return seems unlikely, Slot still needs to improve Liverpool's results, or he could lose his job.

Slot won the Premier League title last season, largely with the squad Klopp left behind, which buys him some time.

But everyone knows the current losing streak can't continue for long. TEAMtalk has learned that Liverpool is expected to win their next three games, and any mistakes could change things quickly.

One possible replacement for Slot could be Ange Postecoglou, who is still admired despite his recent short time with Nottingham Forest.

There have also been rumours about Luis Enrique, but he's currently managing Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning Champions League holders.

For now, Slot's job is still safe, but his position isn't as secure as it was a few months ago.