Exactly one year ago, Liverpool were close to first place. Record-tying 20th English league championship.
Now, coach Arne Slott is fighting to get his season back and possibly save his job.
Liverpool were eliminated from the FA Cup after losing 4-0 to Manchester City last week. Then on Wednesday, they lost 2-0 to Paris Saint-Germain, leaving the Merseyside club on the brink of being knocked out in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Add to that the thaw of his title defense early in the season, and it’s no surprise that speculation about Slott’s future has increased even after he delivered the Premier League title in his first year in charge.
After the loss in Paris, Slott admitted the team was in “survival mode”.
His situation was not helped by the presence of former Liverpool player Xabi Alonso. He was seen as a strong candidate to replace club icon Jurgen Klopp when he steps down as manager in 2024. Alonso is a free agent this season after being released by Real Madrid, and his stock remains high after winning the German title with Bayer Leverkusen.
Liverpool have given no indication that Slott’s job is in jeopardy, but the Dutchman admits failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League is unacceptable.
Liverpool’s best chance of qualifying for the competition appears to be by finishing last in the league, with the team’s performance in Europe this season giving them a bonus fifth place spot in England’s top flight. But even that is not guaranteed for Liverpool, who currently sit fifth in the table, just one point ahead of Chelsea.
Slott had already said in February that he needed near-perfection from his players to secure a return to Europe’s top competition, but Liverpool host Fulham on Saturday after three successive defeats in all competitions.
major matches
If Arsenal win against Bournemouth, they can increase their lead over second-placed Manchester City to 12 points. City face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Tottenham’s new manager Roberto de Zerbi will take charge of his first game away to Sunderland on Sunday, with the club hoping for an immediate recovery to boost their fight to avoid relegation.
However, they could be in the bottom three by the time the game begins, with 18th-placed West Ham hosting bottom-of-the-table Wolves on Friday with a chance to jump ahead of Spurs.
Featured players
Mohamed Salah will be returning to Anfield for the first time since announcing he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season. It remains to be seen whether he will play against Fulham, as he came on as a substitute against PSG. His decline in form this season has contributed to Liverpool’s disappointing campaign, while his public spat with Slott has also cast a shadow on the season.
Activity suspended
Arsenal were without Bukayo Saka and Julian Timber for Tuesday’s Champions League game against Sporting Lisbon, with both players being assessed ahead of the game against Bournemouth. Chelsea’s Reece James and Trevor Chalobah missed last week’s FA Cup victory over Port Vale, but manager Liam Rosenior said the game came too soon for them as they recover from hamstring and ankle problems respectively.
off the field
Liverpool fans are planning to protest against the ticket price hike starting with the game against Fulham.
Supporters group Spirit of Shankly called on fans attending the match to refuse to spend money inside the stadium to send a message to the club’s American owners, Fenway Sports.
“This is a small act, but if enough people do it, it will send a clear message,” the group said.
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James Robson is https://x.com/James Saran Robson
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