Liverpool star is a 'bad omen' and Arne Slot must decide whether to keep or sell

star Federico Chiesa faces a crossroads this summer as he fights to save his Anfield career. The Italian seemed a potential bargain at £14million last year, albeit having struggled with injuries since his Euro 2020 heroics, but his time on Merseyside is yet to take off.

Chiesa may even embody a potentially bad omen. Liverpool won each of Chiesa's first eight appearances after his switch from Juventus was sealed. However, after Arne Slot's side were beaten 3-2 by Brighton in a thrilling Premier League clash on Monday, he has lost in his last six consecutive appearances. The last Liverpool player to go on such a lengthy barren run was David Thompson between November and December 1998.

In winning his first eight matches, Chiesa equalled a record previously held exclusively by George Latham, who appeared for the club in the 1900s. Latham won only once more in a Liverpool shirt. The last nine of his appearances featured seven draws and two defeats.

Chiesa will want to avoid history being repeated. Of course, those defeats have not been his fault. Against Brighton, he showed glimpses of the quality that made him one of Europe's most wanted wide men.

One driving run in the second half by Chiesa saw him create an excellent opportunity for Conor Bradley, and Liverpool might not have gone on to lose had the right-back scored.

This is also a Reds team playing in first gear, with the pressure relieved by them securing the Premier League with several games to spare. If there was more to play for, Chiesa might be playing in a winning team.

But there will remain doubts over his future. Next season, Chiesa will face similar competition for a place in Liverpool's forward line. Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz seem to be Slot's preferred options on the left, and even through the middle. A new striker could be signed and may push Chiesa even further down the pecking order.

Liverpool fans serenaded Chiesa at Brighton's Amex Stadium, singing his song throughout the game. He scored in their Carabao Cup final defeat against Newcastle and has produced several bright moments during the campaign.

The fact remains, though, that Liverpool might not be able to harbour a high-earning player who has featured in only 104 Premier League minutes this season. Either he enjoys a major improvement next season, or he faces an anticlimactic exit.