PSG matches may determine Arne Slot’s future with Liverpool.
As the away Liverpool supporters streamed out of Etihad Stadium following the 4-0 loss to Manchester City on Saturday afternoon, some took the chance to honor a club icon. Regrettably for head coach Arne Slot, it was not his name they chanted, nor that of any of his players. Instead, fans sang for former midfielder Xabi Alonso, who is the preferred candidate among supporters to succeed Slot in the managerial role amid his team’s increasingly challenging season.
To further compound the Dutchman’s woes, this fan departure occurred with over 20 minutes still left in the FA Cup quarterfinal match. With the hosts already leading 4-0 and comfortably on their way to the semifinals, even the most hopeful Reds fans had given up on the prospect of a late comeback.
This marked Liverpool’s 15th defeat of the season across all competitions—their highest total in a single season since 2014-15, when they suffered 18 losses under the struggling Brendan Rodgers. It was also Slot’s most significant defeat as Liverpool manager, and the club’s largest margin of defeat since the 7-2 loss to Aston Villa in October 2020.
Having etched his name into the Anfield legends last season by clinching the Premier League title on his first attempt, Slot now finds himself overseeing one of the most tumultuous periods in the club’s recent past.
Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first-leg match against Paris Saint-Germain already felt crucial; now it is difficult to shake the feeling that it could determine Slot’s future at Liverpool.
play1:51Hutchison doubtful about Arne Slot’s Liverpool future
Don Hutchison believes Arne Slot will not be Liverpool manager at the start of next season following their FA Cup exit to Manchester City.
Liverpool have lost their “fighting spirit”
Perhaps the most critical aspect of Liverpool’s collapse at the Etihad was its striking similarity to their league visit to the stadium last November, when they fell 3-0 during a dismal stretch of nine defeats in 12 matches.
Unlike their previous trip to Manchester, Liverpool began the match positively on Saturday, creating two significant opportunities, which were missed by Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike, respectively. Inability to convert chances has been a persistent issue for Slot’s team this season, and once again they were punished, as City dismantled them in a rapid 20-minute period, scoring four goals around half-time.
Similar to the league encounter, Liverpool frequently contributed to their own downfall. Captain Virgil van Dijk conceded a careless penalty for the first goal, while Ibrahima Konaté allowed Erling Haaland to bypass him too easily to score City’s second just before the interval.
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As in November, City struck first, and Liverpool were unable to recover. The Reds’ fragile defense left them exposed to a rout, and this latest defeat marked the fifth occasion in the 2025-26 season that they had lost by three goals or more. Liverpool did not suffer a single defeat by that margin last season, and only once fell to a 3-0 loss in 2023-24.
“The fighting spirit wasn’t there enough, the mentality wasn’t there enough,” midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai stated to TNT Sports afterwards. “None of us were there, to be honest, as much as we could.”
This troubling admission aligns with Liverpool’s ongoing tendency to lack character when faced with challenges. The Reds have managed to win only two of the 19 matches in which they have trailed this season—an alarming statistic for a team once referred to as “mentality monsters” by former manager Jürgen Klopp.
Ongoing comparisons between Slot and his charismatic predecessor have shadowed the Dutchman throughout the season, and while Slot’s more reserved, straightforward demeanor was praised last season, it has since led to doubts regarding his ability to inspire a group evidently in need of strong motivation.
Clearly, it appears that Liverpool requires a significant overhaul, with the connection between head coach, players, and fans having deteriorated throughout this season. The image of Szoboszlai arguing with the few supporters who remained in the stadium at the final whistle on Saturday perfectly encapsulated the extent of the disarray.
For any manager, re-establishing unity during a period of unrest is a challenging endeavor. Restoring a sense of togetherness, both on and off the pitch, seems particularly daunting for a Liverpool manager who increasingly appears to be struggling against the current.
Champions League humbling could test FSG’s support
Of course, Slot should not bear all the blame for Liverpool’s struggles. Injuries to key players, insufficient squad development, and the unfortunate loss of striker Diogo Jota just before preseason have all complicated his task this season.
The players, too, must acknowledge that they have often failed to meet the expectations set for them as Premier League champions, both in terms of attitude and performance. The fact that two of City’s goals on Saturday came shortly after Liverpool lost possession from their own throw-in highlights a squad that frequently struggles with the fundamentals.
“If you tell me that from 15 runs City made, we didn’t follow them 15 times, then I don’t agree with you,” Slot remarked in his post-match press conference. “But if you simply look at the goals, I see runs not being followed, I see crosses not being blocked, I see duels not being won. Every single time we forget to block a cross or follow a runner, then it was a goal.”
This sentiment was echoed by Van Dijk, who offered an apology to supporters for his team’s lackluster performance and admitted Liverpool seemed to “give up” after City scored their third goal five minutes into the second half.
play1:06Nicol: Arne Slot is in big trouble after defeat vs. Man City
Steve Nicol expresses concern for Arne Slot’s future at Liverpool following a 4-0 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup quarterfinals.
Nevertheless, the ultimate responsibility lies with Slot. Liverpool’s fanbase is—by contemporary football standards, at least—a relatively patient one, but the sight of supporters leaving early at the Etihad will be concerning for club owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG).
Having secured what was only the second league title in 35 years for Liverpool last season, Slot deserves to be treated with respect and gratitude, regardless of where his long-term future may lead. FSG and sporting director Richard Hughes have consistently supported him throughout the ups and downs of this difficult campaign, but a humiliating defeat against PSG—or league losses to traditional rivals Everton, Manchester United, and Chelsea in the upcoming weeks—could render his position untenable.
Even if Slot manages to achieve this season’s primary objective of Champions League qualification, retaining him as manager beyond the summer could expose him to further hostility at the first sign of difficulty next term.
Currently, it appears that the only path to regaining the full support of a disenchanted fanbase is winning the Champions League itself. This notion seems ambitious considering that holders PSG defeated Chelsea 8-2 on aggregate in the previous round, while a matchup with either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid awaits in the semifinals. However, the cultural significance of European competition has often provided a silver lining to an otherwise unremarkable Liverpool season, and the possibility of history repeating itself should not be entirely dismissed.
Certainly, PSG manager Luis Enrique and his star-studded squad will not take their journey to the last four for granted, given that they required penalties to eliminate Liverpool on their way to last year’s trophy. In some circles, last season’s round-of-16 exit at the hands of the French champions is viewed as the beginning of the Reds’ decline under Slot.
If Liverpool cannot deliver a remarkable performance against those same opponents this season, it may very well seal the Dutchman’s fate.
