December crucial in deciding Arne Slot’s Liverpool future
December is going to be a crucial month for Liverpool head coach Arne Slot as he fights to prove his worth at Anfield.
It has been an awful couple of months for the Reds since losing 2-1 to Crystal Palace in September. Before that defeat, they were looking like they could challenge for the Premier League title again. Now, the picture looks completely different, with Liverpool in 13th as of Sunday morning.
They have lost nine of their last 12 games in all competitions, with the run including defeats to Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Brentford and Nottingham Forest, and the pressure is now ramping up on Slot after consecutive three-goal defeats at Anfield.
With the club spending a record £446m in the summer transfer window, which included buying Alexander Isak for £125m, it’s no shock to see the pressure mounting from those in the media, as well as opposition fans and even Liverpool supporters.
December will be pivotal for Slot and Liverpool
It doesn’t get any easier for the Reds as the fixtures come thick and fast in December and over the Christmas period. They have six more games before Christmas Day, including trips to Spurs and Inter.
They can’t splash the cash every year, and with the amount they spent in the summer, they cannot afford to miss out on Champions League football next season.
Only on four occasions has a team been outside of the top four at Christmas and won the league, so if Liverpool don’t manage to get themselves back in a Champions League spot by then, retaining the title looks very unlikely.
They were one of the favourites to win the 2025/26 Champions League at the start of the season, but it’s Arsenal who now head the betting at 5/1, as stated by MyBettingSites.co.uk. The Reds are 20/1 to lift the trophy and are also behind the likes of Bayern Munich and PSG.
With Slot’s team also out of the Carabao Cup after a 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, it already feels like a trophyless season is on the cards.
Is the clock ticking for Slot at Liverpool?
Even though many of his players are struggling to perform to the levels they were at last year, there can be no excuses for the head coach, who has more than enough firepower to get the Reds playing better.
There are rumours of the club wanting to sign more players in January as well, with Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo heavily linked. However, if Slot can’t prove that he can get a tune out of current new signings like Isak, then FSG may have to start looking for a replacement.
They need someone who can get the squad performing, and with Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah coming towards the end of their careers, Liverpool’s next manager must be able to get the best out of a new-look squad.
No LFC fan, player or owner will want Slot to be sacked, but if this horrific run of form continues, there may be no other option.
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