There are plenty of mitigating circumstances for Liverpool's disappointing Premier League title defence but the pressure is mounting on the Dutch manager after the defeat at Wolves
Arne Slot on the pitch after Liverpool were beaten by Wolves
Arne Slot cut a forlorn figure after Liverpool's ninth Premier League defeat of the season
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Common footballing consensus is that Arne Slot suffers extra critical scrutiny because he is not Jurgen Klopp. Which is a touch ironic because extra critical scrutiny shows that Slot is currently doing a little better in a season when defending a Premier League title than Klopp did in 2020/21.
After winning his one and only Premier League in 19/20, Klopp had Liverpool on 46 points after 29 matches of the following campaign. After 29 matches of this campaign, Slot has Liverpool on 48 points.
At this point in the 20/21 season, Klopp’s Liverpool were out of the FA Cup while Slot’s Liverpool are looking forward to a fifth round tie at Molineux on Friday night. Klopp’s Liverpool of 20/21 beat RB Leipzig in the last 16 of the Champions League but went out to Real Madrid at the quarter-final stage.
Next week, Slot’s Liverpool go to Istanbul for the first leg of their last-16 tie against Galatasaray. In the Premier League, Klopp’s team rallied to finish with five wins in their last five games of 20/21 but their final tally of 69 points was not great.
As always, there were mitigating circumstances. Klopp had to deal with a troublesome injury list and the Covid-based challenge of playing behind closed doors.
But there are also mitigating circumstances for Slot, who has had an equally troublesome injury list to deal with. He has also had to comfort and rally a squad that was deeply affected by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota.
Xabi Alonso, Manager of Real Madrid looks on prior to the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Madrid CF and Real Betis Balompié at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on January 04, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Alvaro Medranda/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Xabi Alonso was dismissed as Real Madrid manager in early January(Image: Alvaro Medranda/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
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The late Premier League surge meant Klopp’s class of 20/21 finished third and qualified for the Champions League but even if they had not, there was never any suggestion the German would be sacked. There are plenty suggesting Slot will be sacked.
If Liverpool do not win the Champions League and finish outside the qualification spots - not in the Premier League’s top five - then many could understand a boardroom decision to thank Slot for his sterling efforts and make a change. But it would still be very harsh.
Jurgen Klopp with the Premier League trophy
Jurgen Klopp had a difficult season after winning the Premier League in the 2019/20 season(Image: Getty Images)
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There are, however, two words that cannot be avoided when looking at Slot’s future. Xabi Alonso. These are very early days but a couple of months since his own harsh dismissal from Real Madrid, Alonso has not been seriously linked with any future job.
More significantly, there has been no movement on Slot’s contract situation. Winning a Premier League title in the first year of your three-year deal might normally earn a manager a new contract but that did not materialise last summer.
Arne Slot with the Premier League trophy
Arne Slot won the Premier League in his first season with Liverpool(Image: Carl Recine, Getty Images)
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And it is extremely unlikely to materialise between now and the end of the season. With only a year of his contract remaining - and with Alonso available as a free agent - it would be a relatively inexpensive managerial change for Liverpool’s owners.
After his outstanding first season - and taking into account the issues he has had to deal with - it would be a managerial change that would be incredibly harsh on Slot, who has what it takes to lead a great club for a long, long time. But it is one that is becoming increasingly easy to envisage.
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