From Premier League champion to survival mode, Liverpool's season is on the brink

Just one year ago Liverpool was closing in on a record-tying 20th English league title . Now coach Arne Slot is in a battle to salvage the season and, perhaps, save his job. A 4-0 defeat to Manchester City last week saw Liverpool crash out of the FA Cup.

And a 2-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday has pushed the Merseyside club to the brink of a Champions League exit in the quarterfinals. Add to that a title defense that unraveled early in the campaign and it is little surprise that speculation has mounted regarding Slot's future even after he delivered the Premier League title in his first year in charge. After defeat in Paris, Slot admitted his team was in “survival mode”.

His situation has not been helped by the availability of Xabi Alonso, the former Liverpool player who was regarded as a leading candidate to succeed Jurgen Klopp when the club icon stepped down as manager in 2024. Alonso is a free agent after being fired by Real Madrid this season and his stock remains high after winning the German title with Bayer Leverkusen. While Liverpool has given no indication that Slot's job is at risk, the Dutchman has acknowledged that failing to secure a spot in next season's Champions League would be unacceptable.

The best chance of qualifying for the competition appear to be via Liverpool's finishing position in the league, with England's top flight set to be given a bonus fifth spot because of its teams' performances in Europe this season. But even that is not guaranteed for Liverpool, which currently sits fifth, just one point above Chelsea. Slot had already said in February that he needed near-perfection from his players to secure a return to European club soccer's top competition, but Liverpool hosts Fulham on Saturday after three straight defeats in all competitions.