Whether you are ‘Arne Slot in’, or ‘Arne Slot out’, Liverpool’s latest defeat at Man United left no shortage of ammunition after a close comeback but a lack of intensity.
Man United 3-2 Liverpool
Premier League (35) | Old Trafford
May 3, 2026
Goals: Cunha 6′, Sesko 14′, Mainoo 77′; Szoboszlai 47′, Gakpo 56′
Slot in or Slot out – fill your boots
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 3, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot (R) speaks to Dominik Szoboszlai during the FA Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Liverpool FC at Old Trafford. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
It is fortunate for a fractured Liverpool fanbase that, no matter which side of the Arne Slot debate you sit on, there was plenty in this performance to go on.
Those who want the Dutchman sacked can point at the 19th defeat of the season and an abysmal first half that proved foundational to it as proof he should be dismissed.
For those who are more sympathetic, then the second half perhaps offered evidence that this group of players is still fighting for the manager and will be capable of more with some tweaks.
What is for sure is that Fenway Sports Group know exactly where they stand, and so one of these two competing camps is going to get definitive proof of their excellent judgement next season.
But, after a 19th defeat of the season, it feels impossible to suggest with any confidence that those who favour retaining the manager will be right in the end.
Alexis Mac Allister is a problem
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 3, 2026: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister (R) after the FA Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Liverpool FC at Old Trafford. Manchester United won 3-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
One reason that is hard to believe Slot will turn things around is because he doesn’t always seem to recognise the biggest issues in his team.
And key among them is Alexis Mac Allister, who put in another poor performance in a season that has seen little else from him.
The Argentine was too slow to close down Matheus Cunha and provided a handy deflection for the opener, then teed up Kobbie Mainoo for a weak clearance for the third.
In fairness, it was his press that helped Cody Gakpo score in between that, but that did not make up for the amount of times he was run past in an open Liverpool midfield.
A manager who had noticed Mac Allister’s weaknesses would have dropped him a long time ago for Curtis Jones, but instead, Slot seems determined to sell the latter after shifting him to right-back.
The reality is it should be Liverpool’s No. 10 who is up for sale this summer, with a direct replacement top of the priority list.
Hard not to worry about intensity
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 3, 2026: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai reacts to conceding the first goal during the FA Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Liverpool FC at Old Trafford. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
We can often fall into the trap of believing that, if a team wins, then everything they are doing is right, and of course the reverse.
But when Liverpool consistently produce limp performances lacking in physicality, then it would be mad for fans not to make a link to the lack of training time this season.
Once again, Slot sent his charges out on holiday this week before they returned to the AXA to prepare to face Manchester United.
And once again, they spent the first half looking unprepared and less sharp than the opposition, who tore into every challenge.
There is sense in looking to manage load given the ridiculous calendar the players face these days, but it is surely fair to ask whether Liverpool are not giving their squad too much time off.
Rio Ngumoha shows his defensive inexperience
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 3, 2026: Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha reacts to his shot going wide during the FA Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Liverpool FC at Old Trafford. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
There is no doubt that most Liverpool fans spent much of the second half urging Slot to switch out Jeremie Frimpong for Rio Ngumoha.
But they will not have expected to have been shown quite so quickly exactly why the manager had been reluctant to make that change, despite having the second-most successful dribbles of any player (2/3).
Minutes after being introduced, Ngumoha failed to track the Luke Shaw run that led to him crossing for Mainoo to win the game, and no amount of promise in his performance at the other end can atone for that.
This is, of course, not an attempt to slam a 17-year-old who is going right to the top of the game, but a reminder that his inexperience can prove costly in the unforgiving Premier League arena.
Arne Slot may have a point on Liverpool injuries this time
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 20, 2025: Liverpool's substitute Alexander Isak on the bench before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Everton FC at Anfield. The 247th Merseyside Derby. Liverpool won 2-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
It has been surprising quite how often Slot has leaned on injuries as an excuse for how poor Liverpool have been for so much this season.
Yes, the Reds have had problems, but, Alexander Isak aside, the worst of them have concerned a right-back, fourth-choice centre-half, and a back-up holding midfielder – not exactly key men.
This was slightly different, though, in that Isak was joined by Hugo Ekitike, Mohamed Salah and Alisson on the sidelines, all of whom would likely have started here and impacted proceedings.
For that reason, you suspect Slot will cite fitness issues in his post-match press conference and, for once, have a point in doing so.
However, his attempts to paint the campaign as a whole as injury-hit will still rightly fall on deaf ears after overseeing a record-equalling 19th defeat of the season.