Premier League champions Liverpool have failed to defend their top-flight crown in 2025-26, and their chances of collecting silverware this term are growing slimmer by the week, intensifying pressure on club manager Arne Slot.
12 months ago, the reds were surging towards a Premier League title - their first with fans present at Anfield to witness the coronation - as the start to the post-Jurgen Klopp era exceeded all expectations.
However, 12 months is a long time in football, and the Anfield atmosphere is now reaching levels of toxicity never seen in the Klopp days; a penny for his thoughts watching Saturday's 4-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at the hands of Manchester City.
The Poznan-participating Etihad crowd enjoyed vociferously bellowing out 'You're getting sacked in the morning' to the ever-stoic Arne Slot, whose standing with fans has plummeted over the course of a damaging 2025-26 season, albeit one in which Liverpool could still be crowned kings of Europe.
However, while Xabi Alonso is waiting for the phone to ring, and while the Premier League champions are at serious risk of losing their spot at the Champions League table, more and more Liverpool supporters would gladly see the back of Slot.
Arne Slot's Reds have endured a difficult season for a variety of reasons, but when they were eliminated at the quarter-final stage of the FA Cup on Saturday in a humiliating 4-0 thrashing against Manchester City, morale hit a new low.
Fans of the Merseysiders - known for their unwavering support - left the Etihad Stadium in droves around the hour mark, chanting on their way out of the ground for Xabi Alonso to replace the former Feyenoord boss.
The most pressing concern facing the Premier League champions at the moment is that their place in next season's Champions League is far from secure.
Liverpool parted ways with a record-breaking £446.5m in the summer of 2025, and ahead of what looks to be another busy transfer window at the end of this term, a loss in revenue from missing out on UEFA's premier club competition would be a major blow.
Financial implications aside, the Reds already face the near-impossible task of replacing one of the club's greatest ever goalscorers - Mohamed Salah - at the close of the campaign, but attracting the level of talent required to bolster the frontline at Anfield would grow increasingly challenging without Champions League football.
When Slot was brought in ahead of the 2024-25 season, much praise was heaped upon the manager's ability to keep a smaller squad of players fit throughout a lengthy campaign, but this approach has struggled in England.
Under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool were known for their intensity and ability to overwhelm opponents with their running power, but Slot has taken a more reserved angle when it comes to pressing.
With Manchester City cruising into the semi-finals of the FA Cup after an emphatic 4-0 victory over their rivals at the Etihad Stadium, Slot is facing a fight to keep his job as Liverpool manager.
The reigning Premier League champions are in a crisis and were outplayed from the first minute to the last. Given their hopes of making the top four hang in the balance, and despite steering the Reds to the crown last term, Slot is undeniably a man under pressure.
Liverpool insist they will stick with the Dutchman but rumours linking Xabi Alonso to the post will only grow in volume. The Spaniard, who represented them as a player, is a free agent following his departure from Real Madrid earlier this season.
On social media, the reaction to the loss was brutal. Many called for Slot to be relieved of his duties, with one user saying: "This is now embarrassing. SACK Slot NOW."
According to insiders who spoke to Julisha.co.ke, Liverpool chiefs have ‘intensified internal discussions’ over the direction of the team and whether Slot is the right coach for the job.
Alonso expects to be back in the dugout this summer following his sacking by Real Madrid in January. The Spaniard is the ‘leading candidate’ to take charge at Anfield as Liverpool consider replacing Slot with a ‘top option'.
Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness and Andoni Iraola of Bournemouth are also on Liverpool’s radar, but Alonso is firmly in pole position. The insiders reveal that Slot is ‘under serious scrutiny’ from Anfield bosses and could be sacked if they finish outside of the top five and remain trophyless. The FA Cup thrashing, made matters worse.
