Liverpool Set to Axe Slot Following Fulham Stalemate

The writing appears to be on the wall for Arne Slot at Liverpool, with reports suggesting the club will make a decisive move to remove the Dutch manager within the coming days.

Sunday's 2-2 draw at Fulham proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back. The Reds had fought back from a goal down to lead 2-1, with Cody Gakpo's second-half strike putting them ahead in the 49th minute. Yet in the dying moments, Harrison Reed's crisp strike from distance hauled Fulham level, denying Liverpool what appeared to be a hard-fought victory.

It was symptomatic of a season that has gradually unravelled. Currently fourth in the Premier League with 10 wins from 20 matches, Liverpool find themselves 14 points adrift of Arsenal at the summit—a chasm that has reportedly proved decisive for the board. That advantage over 14th-placed Crystal Palace offers Champions League football next season, but little else to celebrate.

The Athletic's James Pearce, a long-time observer of the club's fortunes, has identified the fundamental issue: an identity crisis has taken hold, with spark and guile increasingly absent from Liverpool's play. Spanish outlet Fichajes claims the club has now determined that Slot will not continue beyond this week, with the decision to part ways effectively made.

According to the report, Liverpool's hierarchy demands performances matching their ambitions every matchday—something this season has failed to deliver consistently. The 14-point deficit to Arsenal represents an unacceptable position given the substantial summer investment in the squad. The club is already preparing contingency plans, with recruitment staff tasked with identifying managerial targets to salvage what remains of a campaign that has catastrophically underperformed.

Post-match, Slot himself acknowledged the mounting frustration. "So many points have disappeared for us," he told assembled media. "Of course it is frustrating. We rely throughout the whole season on luck and bad luck, and that is something we have to improve, that a shot in the last minute doesn't lead to us losing points, and that is what we are trying. We haven't done that yet."

Gary Lineker offered a blunt assessment on The Rest Is Football podcast, suggesting Slot's comments essentially admitted Liverpool are simply not performing well enough to guarantee wins as they had in seasons past. Alan Shearer concurred with the diagnosis: the Reds are nowhere near as effective as they were previously and are being held accountable by the league table accordingly.