Arne Slot’s tenure as Liverpool boss appears to be hanging by a thread following another damaging setback in Sunday’s 2–1 loss to Manchester City.
Liverpool threw away their narrow advantage late on at Anfield, with Dominik Szoboszlai enduring a dramatic afternoon after finding the net before later being dismissed.
Goals from Bernardo Silva and an Erling Haaland penalty completed a late turnaround for City, leaving the home crowd stunned as the visitors snatched victory in the closing moments.
Pressure has been mounting on Slot from supporters and analysts in recent weeks, and the manner of this defeat is likely to further damage his standing. The Dutch coach now finds himself in an increasingly precarious situation.
Slot facing the sack as Liverpool match unwanted record
Former Everton and Aston Villa chief executive Keith Wyness recently told Football Insider that Slot would be dismissed if Liverpool lost two of their next three fixtures. Since then, the Reds have beaten Newcastle but followed that up with defeat against City.
As a result, Wednesday night’s away clash against Sunderland could prove decisive for Slot’s future. However, there is a growing belief that the collapse against City may already be enough for the board to lose faith.
Late-game failures have become a worrying trend for Liverpool this season. They have now conceded four stoppage-time winning goals in the league — a joint Premier League record for a single campaign, according to journalist Aadam Patel — despite there still being 13 matches remaining.
That statistic makes matters even more uncomfortable for Slot, especially given that his side were widely praised for their resilience and mentality during last season’s title-winning run. This campaign, however, that trademark grit appears to have disappeared.
Liverpool’s inability to see out matches has only intensified the pressure on their manager, and it is difficult to see how he can turn the tide decisively. While the City defeat may not immediately spell the end, Slot’s dismissal increasingly feels inevitable if results continue in this fashion.
Liverpool may fast-track Slot exit amid Xabi Alonso links
Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown has claimed that Liverpool are eyeing Xabi Alonso as a possible successor should they opt to part ways with Slot.
Although the club have shown patience with their title-winning manager, Alonso’s current availability could force their hand. The Spaniard recently departed Real Madrid and is expected to attract interest from elite clubs worldwide following his outstanding spell at Bayer Leverkusen.
If Liverpool delay their decision until the summer, they risk missing out. Alonso remains a hugely respected figure at Anfield due to his achievements as a player, and if the Reds are serious about engineering a dream return, decisive action may be required sooner Rather youthan later.
