Arne Slot's position as Liverpool head coach is under scrutiny after a dramatic downturn in form, with the defending Premier League champions now winless in five league games and slipping to sixth in the table. Saturday's 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth ended a 13-match unbeaten run in all competitions, and subsequent wins for Chelsea and Manchester United compounded a bad weekend for the Reds.
Mitigating factors include a significant summer turnover of players, with big names like Luis Diaz, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Darwin Nunez departing, while marquee signings Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz arrived alongside others in a £450m spending spree. However, the team has struggled for cohesion and consistency, with a weakness at defending set-pieces and a habit of conceding stoppage-time goals costing nine points already.
The tragic passing of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva has also weighed heavily on the squad, with Andy Robertson revealing how close the loss was to his thoughts. While players may not always speak about it, the grief is keenly felt and must be considered when critiquing performances.
Slot, who led Liverpool to their first league title in front of supporters in 35 years last season, now faces questions over his future as he enters the final year of his contract this summer. Despite a 13-game unbeaten run, the team still lacks creativity and ideas in the final third, with just six wins since September. Victory at home to Qarabag in the Champions League would ease some frustration, but the Premier League title race is already out of reach, leaving a top-four finish as the realistic target.
