Liverpool Decision on Arne Slot’s Future Amid Season Crisis

Liverpool are reported to have no immediate intention of dismissing manager Arne Slot, despite a significant decline in form that has seen the club struggle to maintain the standards established during his debut 2024-25 campaign.

According to reporting from David Ornstein via The Athletic FC Podcast, the club remains steadfastly behind the former Feyenoord boss. The hierarchy believes Slot fits the exact profile of the manager the club requires, and the feeling of mutual happiness between the manager and the club is said to persist despite recent subpar results.

A Season of Decline

The current campaign has been marked by a severe downturn in performance. Liverpool’s Premier League title defense was effectively neutralized by a poor run of results during October and November. As of April 2026, the club is fighting to finish in the top five to secure Champions League qualification.

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The struggle has extended to European competition. Liverpool suffered a first-leg defeat to Galatasaray in the round of 16, marking their second loss to the Turkish side this season. Earlier in the campaign, on November 26, 2025, the team suffered a 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

The statistical decline is stark. Following the loss to PSV, it was noted that Liverpool had suffered nine defeats in their previous 12 games across all competitions. The team also conceded three or more goals in three consecutive games for the first time since September 1992, including 3-0 losses to Manchester City and Nottingham Forest.

Pressure and Fan Reaction

The decline in results has led to mounting frustration among the supporters. Following a 4-0 defeat to Manchester City on April 5, 2026, reports indicated that a large number of fans left the Etihad Stadium early while chanting the name of Xabi Alonso.

The pressure has reached a point where some fans have voted in favor of the club firing Slot immediately. However, the club’s leadership does not believe that a failure to win trophies this season—though they still fancy their chances in the FA Cup—will trigger a change in management.

I’m not worried. What I mean with that is that my focus is on other things than worrying about my own position. I try to analyze, try to help the players as much as I can and it’s obvious that I don’t do it in the way I did that last season because when you talk about individual errors, I think that’s also something that comes from a team effort.

Arne Slot, via ESPN

Potential Alternatives

Despite the internal support for Slot, external speculation regarding his successor has grown. Xabi Alonso is frequently cited as a romantic choice given his history as a former player and his achievements at Bayer Leverkusen. Alonso is currently out of work after a brief tenure at Real Madrid.

Other names mentioned in the context of potential replacements include Roberto De Zerbi, who could potentially be acquired without compensation. There have also been reports of suggestions that Jurgen Klopp might be waiting for a call to return to Anfield.

Liverpool’s leadership maintains that there are few options better than Slot and that any other appointment would represent a considerable gamble or a significant expense.

Current Standings and Outlook

The club’s current position highlights the urgency of a turnaround. At one point during the crisis, the Reds were positioned 12th in the Premier League table and 13th in the Champions League standings.

With only seven league games remaining as of early April 2026, securing a place at Europe’s top table is far from guaranteed. The club may have to rely on the Premier League gaining an extra spot in the competition to ensure Champions League qualification for the following season.

The immediate focus for Slot remains the FA Cup and the attempt to stabilize the squad’s form ahead of their return to Premier League action.