Slot Deserves Credit, Not the Sack, for Steering Liverpool Through Turbulent Waters

The suggestion that Arne Slot should walk away from Liverpool has been firmly rejected by one commentator, who insists the Dutch manager has achieved something remarkable on Merseyside and remains underappreciated for his efforts.

According to the Daily Mail's Oliver Holt, dismissing Slot for overseeing a poor campaign this season fundamentally misses the mark. The manager, Holt argues, has genuinely 'performed a miracle' in taking over Jürgen Klopp's squad and delivering the Premier League title.

The case for Slot's defence rests on his transformation of Liverpool's fortunes. Having inherited a team that many expected to enter decline, he instead steered them to the league crown – an outcome few had predicted when he arrived. Klopp's squad, contrary to some characterisations, wasn't particularly long in the tooth either. The group averaged just 26.6 years old, with the oldest outfield regulars being Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk at 32, both of whom delivered outstanding performances last season. Salah claimed the Golden Boot and the most assists, whilst van Dijk earned Team of the Year recognition.

The improvement Slot engineered shouldn't be dismissed lightly. Liverpool matched their goal-scoring and conceding records from 2023/24 whilst winning the title with 84 points last season after finishing third with 82 the year before – a fine achievement, even if hardly miraculous by conventional standards.

Yet this season tells a different story. Despite lavishing £450m in the transfer market, the Reds have tumbled to fifth place, surrendered both domestic cup competitions to heavy defeats, and accumulated ten Premier League losses with seven matches remaining – a tally exceeding what they suffered under Brendan Rodgers. The spending spree has coincidentally coincided with a lack of defensive depth at centre-half.

The loss of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid certainly stung, though Slot had time to prepare for that departure. Luis Diaz's sale to Bayern Munich brought in £65.5m, whilst Salah's personal dip in form this term – rather than purely age-related decline – warrants scrutiny given his outstanding performances last year.

The grief surrounding Diogo Jota's passing provides important context for understanding Liverpool's struggles and naturally supersedes the importance of sporting outcomes. However, the rot began earlier, when Champions League elimination and a Carabao Cup final no-show occurred within five days in March, followed by just four wins in nine league games before the summer spending spree commenced.

Whether Slot is genuinely holding Liverpool together or bears responsibility for their current predicament remains the central debate – one that can't easily be resolved by suggesting either proposition alone explains their trajectory.