This time last year, Liverpool were cruising toward a 20th league title in Arne Slot’s first season in charge—a remarkable achievement that, in the end, felt incredibly easy.
Things could not feel more different now.
With seven games to play, the Reds sit a scarcely believable 21 points behind champions-elect Arsenal, who themselves appear set to win the title with a relatively modest total.
Arsenal’s lackluster season resulting in a title has left many supporters wondering what might have been had Liverpool performed anywhere near their potential this season.
Their Champions League prospects this season look equally bleak. While the club has produced miracles at Anfield before, Tuesday’s 2–0 defeat in the first leg at the Parc de Princes—a match in which Liverpool were absolutely dominated—felt less like a missed opportunity and more like a mercy.
Barring one of the most dramatic turnarounds in recent Champions League history, Liverpool will likely find themselves with no trophies left to play for by this time next week.
And yet, with the confirmation that English clubs will receive a fifth Champions League spot next season, the run-in may carry more weight than ever before.
Slot’s job should be on the line
Perhaps it’s obvious to say, but there’s no getting around it: the stretch between now and the end of the season should determine whether Arne Slot remains Liverpool manager next year.
A shocking number of things have gone wrong for the club this season—from the tragic death of a beloved player, to a crippling run of defensive injuries, to a dramatic dip in individual quality from players like Mohamed Salah.
For that reason, I’ve been inclined to remain loyal to the man who delivered a league title in his first season.
Still, injuries and setbacks are part of every campaign, and it increasingly feels as though the relative smoothness of last season has left Slot ill-prepared to navigate real adversity this time around.
It would be one thing if results were unlucky but the effort remained. But producing zero shots on target in a Champions League knockout match is simply unacceptable.
Too often, this squad appears to shrink in big moments and heads drop after conceding first, and clear chances go begging. That speaks volumes about the current state of the dressing room.
Even so, while some supporters may already be calling for his immediate dismissal, the newly secured fifth English spot in next season’s Champions League feels like the perfect barometer; it offers a clear, attainable objective.
If Slot can rally the team—restore focus, instill resilience, and secure Champions League qualification amid pressure from sides like Chelsea—he will have made a strong case that this season could be a blip, even if he begins the next campaign on a short leash.
However, if the pressure proves too much and performances continue to falter, the conclusion becomes clearer.
Delivering a 20th league title would remain a significant achievement that shouldn't go unthanked, but it may ultimately fall to someone else to guide the club forward—especially with departures looming for key figures like Salah and Andy Robertson.
I’ve backed Slot for as long as I can, but if he allows a squad assembled at such enormous cost to slip into Europa League football, the decision may make itself.
Playing for club pride
Beyond the implications this run-in carries for Arne Slot’s future, responsibility does not rest on the manager alone.
The burden falls just as heavily on the players, who must prove they are worthy representatives of a club whose identity has long been defined by resilience and fight.
Veterans like Salah and Virgil van Dijk have fallen short of their usual standards this season. Yet with Salah nearing the end of his time at the club, there remains an opportunity to deliver one final contribution—securing Champions League football. Doing so would speak volumes about their leadership in a moment of real adversity.
Dominik Szoboszlai, meanwhile, has faced scrutiny in recent weeks, particularly in his interactions with supporters.
But a strong finish to the campaign could quickly reshape that narrative and reinforce his credentials as a future leader within the squad.
There are also signs of encouragement elsewhere. After his cameo against Paris Saint-Germain, Alexander Isak appears to be working his way back to full fitness.
While questions remain over whether his price tag has been justified, a handful of decisive goals in the run-in could go a long way toward easing those concerns.
Tactical missteps such as the back-five deployed against PSG, which at times resembled a distorted version of Liverpool sides of recent years, have not helped. But ultimately, systems do not win matches on their own. Players do.
That is why this final stretch demands more than just improved performances; it requires introspection.
What kind of team do they want to be remembered as? One that unraveled under pressure, or one that rediscovered its composure when it mattered most?