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Beth Lindop
Multiple Authors
For a fleeting ten minutes during the second half at Anfield, it almost felt like time had stood still. With home fans waving their scarves in homage to Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning free kick against Manchester City, it appeared as though the Liverpool of last season had reemerged, eager to reaffirm their Premier League champion status to the world.
yet, when the final whistle sounded, it was the away supporters celebrating, as Manchester City fans enjoyed their team’s first league double over Liverpool since 1937, thanks to late goals from Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland. This outcome was more reflective of the disheartening narrative surrounding Liverpool’s ongoing season.
The 2-1 defeat against Pep Guardiola’s team marked Liverpool’s eighth loss in the top flight this season. With only six wins from their last 20 league matches, qualifying for next season’s UEFA Champions League seems like a daunting challenge, as they trail fourth-placed Manchester United by five points.
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– City’s thrilling comeback vs. Liverpool keeps title race alive
While there are reasons behind this poor performance, head coach Arne Slot cannot overlook the troubling statistics. The biggest concern for the Dutchman may be that the unwavering belief and loyalty fostered by his predecessor Jürgen Klopp are now in jeopardy.
Upon taking charge in 2015, Klopp acknowledged the disenchantment among Liverpool’s supporters and urged them to shift from “doubters to believers.” This season, however, it has started to feel as though those wells of belief have run dry, both on the pitch and among the fans.
Slot’s most significant hurdle appears to be rekindling that faith among fans. But is it already too late for him to reverse the trend?
Concerning decline endangers Champions League aspirations
When Liverpool triumphed over their Merseyside rivals Everton in September, they had achieved five consecutive wins in the Premier League. Following a record-breaking summer spending spree, they were viewed as favorites to retain their title, despite questions surrounding the feasibility of their late-game heroics.
Those concerns have proven correct, as Liverpool finds themselves closer to the relegation zone (16 points) than to league leaders Arsenal (17 points). This sharp decline is alarming for a team that previously won the title by ten points.
In the last 20 games, Slot’s team has accumulated fewer points than 11 other Premier League sides, including Fulham, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Everton. Remarkably, they’ve only secured three more points than Nottingham Forest and four above West Ham United, both facing relegation threats.
The late collapse against City signifies that Liverpool has surrendered eight points during stoppage time this season, the highest of any team in the league. This tendency for poor finishes might be less damaging if they were strong starters, yet Liverpool has netted only three goals in the first half-hour of league matches this entire season, two of which were in a single game (the 2-1 win over Everton).
1:27
Leboeuf supports VAR decision after ‘clear mistake’ from Szoboszlai
Frank Leboeuf and Craig Burley believe VAR correctly disallowed Manchester City’s goal and awarded a red card to Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai during their dramatic Premier League encounter.
Against Manchester City, the pattern continued, as City dominated the opening half until Liverpool surged after the break, deservedly taking the lead thanks to Szoboszlai in the 74th minute. yet, when Silva equalized ten minutes later, the deflation among Anfield attendees was palpable, and many fans began to exit when goalkeeper Alisson Becker carelessly fouled Matheus Nunes, giving City a penalty in stoppage time.
This match encapsulated Liverpool’s season: individual mistakes, a lack of squad depth, and contentious officiating—such as City’s Marc Guéhi escaping a red card for a last-man challenge on Mohamed Salah before Szoboszlai’s red for pulling down Haaland while clean through—contributed to the outcome.
Yet, despite some factors being out of Slot’s control, he bears partial responsibility for Liverpool’s failure to maintain dominance, both in individual games and over the season.
Thin squad depth despite summer investment
One of Liverpool’s most pressing issues was underscored even before facing City. When the teams were announced at Anfield, the disparity in bench quality was stark. Curtis Jones and Andy Robertson were the only Liverpool substitutes with four or more league starts this season.
but, City could call upon Rayan Cherki, Rúben Dias, and Nathan Aké from their bench, with Phil Foden, Tijjani Reijnders, and Nico González going unused.
even with Liverpool’s near £450 million expenditure over the summer, their squad appears ill-equipped for a grueling Premier League campaign. plus, it should be noted that the Reds’ signings were partially funded by player sales, netting a guaranteed £258.5 million (potentially rising to £294.5 million with add-ons) during Slot’s tenure.
so, Liverpool’s squad depth may actually be weaker than last season, as influential players like Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz struggle to maintain the intensity required for a full match.
These struggles have been exacerbated by significant injuries to key players, including striker Alexander Isak, who accounted for £125 million of Liverpool’s hefty summer expenditure. besides, Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley are out for the season due to knee injuries, and Joe Gomez and Jeremie Frimpong are also unavailable.
With so few options, the choice not to acquire any January signings appears illogical, especially as established players like Salah, Cody Gakpo, and Alexis Mac Allister struggle to replicate last season’s outstanding form.
While Liverpool’s physical vulnerabilities this season are evident, it’s also clear that mental challenges have not helped their plight. To assess the situation at Anfield without recognizing the tragedy that Slot and his players are enduring would be misleading.
The impact of Diogo Jota’s death last summer is immeasurable and should not serve as a blanket explanation for all of Liverpool’s challenges. importantly, vice-captain Robertson’s comments after Scotland’s World Cup qualification in November reflected the emotional difficulties that the squad has faced in recent months, while former Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher openly discussed some of the challenges his former teammates still encounter.
“I find it a bit strange and difficult when I hear people discussing the players at Liverpool and their performances, because I don’t believe this season is even significant from a football perspective for them,” Kelleher, who joined Brentford last summer, told The Independent. “It’s a very tough time for them, a difficult season, with situations that perhaps people aren’t fully considering.”
Nevertheless, elite football is a ruthless arena where patience and understanding are often scarce. Regardless of the surrounding circumstances, Slot will be aware that his next actions—not his past ones—will largely shape his reputation among supporters.
Slot shadowed by the presence of past and future managers
When managers face pressure, discussions often center on losing the dressing room. yet, losing the fans’ support can equally threaten a coach’s long-term position.
Following the City defeat, some fans remained to applaud Slot and his team as they departed the pitch, and the Dutchman hasn’t yet faced the same level of personal animosity as, for instance, Tottenham Hotspur’s Thomas Frank, who is also undergoing a difficult season in North London.
Twice at Anfield this season—following a 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven and a 1-1 draw with Burnley—certain fans have booed at the final whistle, but overall discontent has yet to reach the same intensity as the online backlash against Slot.
A BBC Sport investigation in December revealed that Slot, alongside then-Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim, was the target of the most online abuse in the men’s top flight. This animosity has intensified in recent weeks, with sources indicating that criticism aimed at Slot has become personal and unjust.
Slot remains a title-winning manager and has kept the confidence of Liverpool’s leadership, even if their Champions League humbling against PSV in November has raised some internal alarms. Recent decisions, such as publishing an in-house roundtable discussion featuring Slot, sporting director Richard Hughes, and CEO Billy Hogan, have been viewed by some as an endorsement of the Dutchman, while Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), are usually not quick to make drastic changes regarding the club’s future.
Nevertheless, faith within the fanbase is undeniably shaky, with many of Liverpool’s performances this season doing little to alleviate the growing apathy in the stands.
Klopp’s unique ability to harness the Anfield atmosphere to influence games strongly contrasts with Liverpool’s current predicament, as they have lost five home games so far this season. This suggests that the support from fans may not be as fervent or unconditional as it was under Slot’s predecessor.
In truth, Klopp’s enduring legacy complicates matters for Slot, whose more reserved, straightforward demeanor has proved challenging for some fans to accept. With former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso now available after leaving Real Madrid, it feels as though Slot is being haunted by the specters of past and prospective managers.
“As a manager, you must accept that if you’re not winning enough games, criticism will follow,” the Liverpool boss remarked last month when discussing fan discontent. “Even when you’ve succeeded, there’s always space for criticism, which is somewhat normal, as we embark on a new season. I advised players, ‘We must forget last season.’
“It is reasonable to evaluate me based on this season, rather than the last one.”
For Slot, the pressure of that evaluation seems to grow heavier by the week. If he cannot swiftly rebuild the belief at Anfield, the weight of expectation could soon become insurmountable.
