Liverpool Unease Grows as Arne Slot Faces Scrutiny Despite Title Glory
Less than a year after lifting the Premier League trophy, Arne Slot finds himself navigating an unexpectedly tense period at Liverpool. Success, once banked, has quickly been replaced by suspicion. The title winning glow of 2024-25 has faded under the weight of performances that have failed to convince, even as results on paper suggest stability rather than crisis.
Liverpool’s recent 12 match unbeaten run should offer reassurance. Instead, it has intensified debate around direction, identity, and standards. A 1-1 draw with Burnley at Anfield crystallised that unease, particularly given the wider context of a difficult autumn that saw the Reds lose nine of 12 matches in October and November. The scars of that spell remain close to the surface.
Results Masking Deeper Concerns
Slot’s Liverpool have steadied themselves in the league table, climbing back into the top four, yet the mood around Anfield is restless. Four successive Premier League draws, two of them at home against newly promoted sides, have been received as warning signs rather than progress. This is a club conditioned to dominance, not drift.
That tension was voiced publicly by Steven Gerrard, a figure whose words still carry immense weight on Merseyside. Speaking to TNT Sports after the Burnley draw, Gerrard was blunt. “Draws to the likes of Leeds and Burnley at home, you know and I know that’s not acceptable.
“There will be a lot of criticism that comes the manager’s way again.”.
Gerrard did acknowledge Slot’s achievement in restoring Liverpool’s league position, but his verdict was clear. The current trajectory does little to silence doubts, and results without authority rarely buy patience at a club shaped by expectation.
Gerrard’s Words and Anfield Expectations
Gerrard’s intervention felt less like provocation and more like a statement of values. At Liverpool, winning the Premier League resets the bar, it does not lower it. Performances matter, control matters, and the sense of inevitability that once defined home games has ebbed away.
Slot’s challenge is not merely tactical. It is emotional and cultural. Supporters see a side that often dominates possession yet lacks incision, urgency, and edge when games tighten. The draw with Burnley, rather than a one off, felt emblematic of a wider issue, authority without ruthlessness.
While Gerrard remains supportive of the club’s long term health, his critique underlined a reality Slot cannot escape. Titles earn respect, but standards sustain it.
Succession Talk Refuses to Fade
Inevitably, pressure has fuelled speculation. Gerrard himself has been mentioned as a possible successor, albeit more plausibly in a short term or caretaker capacity. His name alone stirs emotion, though questions remain about timing and readiness.
Xabi Alonso’s departure from Real Madrid has also reignited conversation among supporters. His connection to Liverpool remains strong, and even Gerrard’s social media activity has been scrutinised, with the former captain liking an Instagram post discussing Alonso as a future Liverpool coach. Luis Enrique has also been floated as a potential option, adding further noise to an already crowded discussion.
For now, Slot remains in charge, and his fate remains in his own hands. He has already proven capable of delivering the ultimate prize. Yet the message from Anfield icons and from the stands is unmistakable. Improvement is required, quickly and convincingly, if Liverpool are to feel aligned once more with their manager.
The Premier League trophy bought Slot time. It did not buy immunity.
