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The Slot machine no longer delivers the jackpot

Arne Slot has been sacked as Liverpool’s head coach.

A joint statement from Liverpool’s owners on Saturday confirmed the decision, saying it was “necessary” and “the team’s trajectory is best addressed through a change of direction”.

“That this was a difficult decision for us to make as a club goes without saying,” it read. “The contribution Arne has made to Liverpool FC in the time that he has been with us has been significant, meaningful and — most importantly of all to supporters and ourselves — successful.

“At the same time, we have collectively come to the conclusion that change is necessary in order for the club to keep moving forward.

“As such, we can only wish Arne well in the next stage of his coaching career, with our expectation being that he will continue to be successful. We do so in the knowledge that his Liverpool legacy is intact and will become yet more meaningful in the years and decades to come.

“Nevertheless, the conclusion we have come to is built on a belief that the team’s trajectory is best addressed through a change of direction. That does not diminish the work Arne has done here, or the respect we have for him. Nor is it a reflection of his talents. Rather, it is indicative of the need for a different approach.”

One senior club official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships, told The Athletic: “Were we dealt a difficult hand? 100 per cent. Should we have played our hand better? Absolutely. Nobody is under any illusions. There are mitigating factors but it hasn’t been good enough.”

The club’s points tally fell from 84 claiming the Premier League title in 2024-25, to 60 in 2025-26.  As confirmed by Opta, that points difference of -24 is the biggest drop by any ever-present Premier League side across those two campaigns.  In short, anyone else who dropped off that much probably got relegated!

The 2025-26 campaign was a huge disappointment for Liverpool and despite heavy investment in the summer, last season’s Premier League winners finished 25 points worse off — and in fifth place.

The only reason the grade is not lower is because they did secure Champions League football for next season, but they did so with a whimper.

What could go wrong did go wrong, and Liverpool became a shadow of the force they were in Arne Slot’s first season at the helm. They became a soft touch that opponents found easy to play against, and they wilted at any sign of adversity.

This is a decision ultimately welcomed by most Liverpool fans. The flame that Arne Slot seemed to ignite in that first season after taking over from Jurgen Klopp just fizzled out badly in season two.

There are a number of well-documented factors as to why that happened. The tragic and sudden loss of Liverpool player Diogo Jota, just weeks after the Premier League victory parade, cannot be overlooked.

 

 

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