Arne Slot’s Liverpool Future: Lewis Steele Questions Safety After Title Defence Collapse

Liverpool’s title defence ended in a place that looks respectable only if you stare at the table and ignore the road that took them there. Fifth place, 60 points, Champions League qualification secured by the narrowest of margins, and a season that Lewis Steele described on Anfield Index’s Media Matters as “a total failure” despite reaching “the ultimate goal” of getting back into Europe’s elite competition.

Speaking to Dave Davis, Steele did not dress it up. When the Liverpool head coach’s position came into focus, the tone was blunt. Arne Slot may still be in the dugout, and Dave Davis said “it does look like Liverpool as it stands are keeping the same man”, but that should not be mistaken for comfort.

Slot’s Champions League lifeline

Liverpool finished fifth with 60 Premier League points, and Davis called it “the lowest ever total to qualify for the Champions League”. He also pointed out that Liverpool ended “25 behind Arsenal”, a grim detail considering the context of the previous campaign.

Steele’s response was severe. “If I was picking a word for the season, it would probably be lucky,” he said. In his view, Liverpool “haven’t deserved to be in the Champions League”, and Slot “can count himself very lucky that he’s in the Champions League and still still in a job”.

That is the core of the argument. Slot’s job may be safe for now, but not because the season has inspired confidence. It is safe because Liverpool have historically shown loyalty to managers, and because Champions League qualification gives decision makers a practical reason to continue.

Disastrous title defence leaves little credit

Steele went further when comparing Slot’s situation to other elite clubs. “If he had that season at Chelsea or Man United or any of the other big clubs, Spurs, whatever, he would he would have been gone,” he told Davis.

That line says plenty. Liverpool’s patience is part of their identity, but patience is not the same as certainty. Steele said Slot “can count himself lucky” to be getting “this third season”, because “the second season has been a total failure”.

The frustration was not only about finishing fifth. Steele made clear that the bigger issue was “the performances and the body language” and “the weakness at both ends of the pitch”. That is what he said he would remember, even though Liverpool ended up in the Champions League.

Injury excuse fails to convince

Slot’s own explanation also came under scrutiny. Davis noted that Slot had used “injury” as his word for the season, but said it “wouldn’t be many people’s first words”. Steele agreed that “a lot of people would pick different words”, mentioning “disappointment”.

Steele accepted that injuries mattered to some extent, saying the outlook might have been different if certain players had been fit all season. Yet he added, “I think it is an excuse and it’s one that maybe doesn’t stretch so far”.

His reasoning was simple. “Even with a few injuries, they’ve still been terrible every week,” he said. He also argued that Liverpool would “struggle to have one handful of performances that have been good”.

Head coach under immediate pressure

The most telling verdict came when Steele looked ahead. “Slot has got a lot to prove going into next summer,” he said, before adding, “an awful lot to prove and he’s going to have to do it quickly”.

There is no sense here that Liverpool’s head coach will be afforded a gentle reset. Steele said “patience is already” thin, describing Slot as “walking on a knife edge”. His conclusion was direct: “he’s got to change the narrative soon”.

Asked what Slot must fix, Steele said “that’s pretty much everything”. He named set pieces, playing style, Anfield atmosphere, Liverpool’s tendency to retreat after going ahead, and the need for “a big window”.

So, is Arne Slot’s job safe after Liverpool’s disastrous title defence? Based on Steele’s comments to Davis on Anfield Index, the answer is only narrowly. He appears safe enough to continue, but not safe enough to stumble.