Slot Walking a Tightrope at Liverpool as Dressing Room Fractures Emerge

The wheels appear to be coming off at Anfield. Arne Slot, who delivered Liverpool's 20th Premier League title in his first season, now finds himself under the sort of scrutiny that comes with a trophyless campaign and Champions League qualification serving as the consolation prize.

According to Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, the situation has deteriorated beyond mere tactical discontent among the fanbase. Claims have emerged that Slot has "lost the dressing room," with the manager now facing the prospect of his own players turning against him.

The catalyst for this unravelling appears to be Mohamed Salah's public criticism of Slot's approach to the game. The veteran forward, who has experienced a marked decline this season, took aim at what he characterized as the manager's uninspiring style of play via social media. What proved particularly damaging was that several Liverpool players publicly endorsed Salah's comments by liking the post—a digital thumbs-up that speaks volumes about potential fractures in the squad.

O'Rourke pointed to the significance of this moment: "Reading between the lines, with so many players commenting and liking makes you think, is Salah speaking for the dressing room? Is there dressing room unrest at Anfield? You would think there is with what's going on there as well."

The criticism cuts deeper given Salah's impending departure on a free transfer this summer. Before he exits, the Egyptian has clearly felt compelled to voice his frustrations publicly—a move that suggests broader dissatisfaction rather than isolated grievance.

"He's obviously lost faith with the fans and if he's now lost the players as well it's going to be very hard for him to turn around," O'Rourke added.

Owen's Survival Prediction—With a Caveat

Michael Owen, speaking from his experience as a Liverpool legend, believes Slot will retain his position through the summer and into the start of next season. However, the former striker has identified a crucial pressure point.

"For Slot, it's extremely rare for Liverpool fans to turn on their own manager, but I think right now a lot of fans would want a change," Owen said. "Liverpool normally don't swap managers as often as other clubs, and Slot does have credit for winning the league and likely scraping Champions League football."

Yet Owen's backing comes with strings attached. "I think he'll stay to start next season, but if results aren't good in the first 10 or so games, pressure will really ramp up," he cautioned. In other words, Slot has a window of opportunity, but it's a narrow one.

The Bigger Picture

Owen acknowledged that Liverpool's struggles cannot be pinned on one man or one factor. The loss of Diogo Jota cast a shadow over the entire campaign, the club's injury list grew longer as the season progressed, and several new signings failed to hit the ground running. The squad required time to gel, yet confidence evaporated instead.

"You can't blame any one thing, but Liverpool were below their own standards, and it'll take a big reset over the summer to get back to where they need to be," Owen reflected.

For Slot, that reset begins immediately. Whether he'll be the one overseeing it depends entirely on what happens when the new season kicks off.