Liverpool’s attempted defence of their Premier League title under Arne Slot has not gone to plan.
After spending over £400m in the summer transfer window, many likely expected the Reds to walk the league this season.
However, what has instead transpired is Liverpool fans losing faith in Slot after some very questionable runs of form.
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Alisson before Marseille vs Liverpool - UEFA Champions League
Credit: Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu/Getty Images
The Merseyside outfit lost nine in 12 in 2025, and have so far won just one of their opening Premier League games in 2026.
This has allowed Manchester United and Chelsea to climb above them and into the top five.
Arne Slot yet to prove he can get Liverpool into the Champions League
English teams will likely be given five Champions League places in 2026/27, but Liverpool are down in sixth right now.
As Slot’s men falter, Man Utd have improved under Michael Carrick, and Chelsea are also experiencing something of a new manager bounce.
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FSG, however, decided to stick with the Dutchman, who has been unable to get Liverpool back into the Champions League places as of yet.
Now, in an interview with Sky Sports, Virgil van Dijk has expressed his ‘need’ to play in Europe’s premier competition.
Asked if Liverpool need to be playing in the Champions League next season, he said: “100 per cent because I want to play Champions League football and everyone else wants to as well.
“But going into my last season [of his current contract], I need to play Champions League football, so we’re working very hard to make sure that we do that.”
Well, based on how the season has gone so far, it doesn’t look as though Slot is the man to deliver Champions League football.
Paul Merson thinks Man Utd will finish above Liverpool, who have some tricky ties on the horizon.
A tough meeting with Man City is up next, followed by a midweek clash with Sunderland.
Should Liverpool drop points in both games, they could be eight points behind fourth this time next week, depending on how results elsewhere go.
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Xabi Alonso pictured during Real Madrid's La Liga match against Real Betis at the Bernabeu (Credit: Getty Images/Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto
For the time being, there doesn’t appear to be any plans to change managers.
However, both Jamie Carragher and Jamie O’Hara have suggested that Slot could be sacked if Liverpool don’t end up qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
Carragher said: “If you don’t qualify for the Champions League, having won the league the season before and spent as much as Liverpool did, I don’t think you’ve got a leg to stand on.”
O’Hara stated: “I think he is coming under pressure. If they are not in the Champions League, Arne Slot has to go.”
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