Liverpool’s Season of Reckoning: Can Arne Slot Steer the Reds Back on Track?
10 February 2026
Season of Challenge
Arne Slot, the Liverpool manager, says this season represents the toughest test of his coaching career by a wide margin, admitting that his side isn’t delivering the levels befitting the club’s history and prestige.
The defending English champions have slipped to sixth in the table following Sunday’s defeat to Manchester City, leaving them four points behind Chelsea in fifth place.
Liverpool’s league record stands at 11 wins, 6 draws, and 8 losses so far in the 2025-26 campaign, a statistic that speaks volumes about the gap between ambition and reality this season.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Slot addressed whether this is the hardest season of his career, replying, “by a wide margin… in all previous seasons I’ve managed, there were positives only.”
He added, “I don’t think I’ve ever lost back-to-back matches (so far); that’s unusual for me, and it’s not easy, because a draw often feels like a loss for us.”
Pushing to Meet Liverpool’s Standards
Slot continued: “The players understand what Liverpool’s standards mean, and we are not performing in line with the club’s history and expectations; they feel the frustration.”
There is speculation that as many as five clubs could qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season, instead of the traditional four, underscoring the heightened competition and pressure on Liverpool to adapt.
He explained, “If we don’t qualify for the Champions League, this season will not be acceptable by any stretch. When I arrived here and signed Federico Chiesa after a season in the Europa League, it had a huge impact on the club’s approach to management, and I’m fully aware of that.”
Slot concluded by saying leadership after a loss or a run of draws differs from leading after a win, but he insisted there remains a real opportunity to do something special this season.
Punchlines ahead: If Liverpool’s season were a cup, it would be half full… of questions. And if optimism were a player, it would probably be injured by now, so we’ll loan it a shin pad until it comes back ready to play.
