Liverpool will repotedly conduct a review of Arne Slot’s position as manager during the summer, with the club’s Champions League fate likely to play a decisive role.
Slot exceeded expectations during his debut season, winning the Premier League title at a canter, but has fallen short this time around. Dreams of retaining the title faded towards the end of the first half of the season and the Reds now face an uphill battle to qualify for the Champions League.
Fabrizio Romano states that Liverpool see qualifying for Europe’s top competition as “absolutely crucial” and missing out on a place would spark an end-of-season review into Slot’s position as manager.
Club officials have previously offered significant support to Slot, particularly during a run of four wins in 15 games which also sparked the ire of the legendary Mohamed Salah. But that loyalty may be tested if Liverpool do not qualify for the Champions League when the dust settles this summer.
Will Liverpool Qualify for the Champions League?
Sitting 16 points behind leaders Arsenal, Liverpool’s dream of back-to-back titles came crumbling down months ago. The focus is now on reaching the Champions League and securing the finances that come with it after a season of record-breaking spending.
As we head into gameweek 27, Liverpool are lagging behind in the race, staring up at rivals equally desperate to seal qualification.
Thankfully for Liverpool, England is likely to be awarded an extra spot in the Champions League this season as a reward for the country’s overall performances in Europe. Rather than the typical top four, there will almost certainly be five English teams in the Champions League next season, but even that extended invitation is not good enough for Liverpool currently.
The Race for Champions League Qualification
| Premier League Place | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd | Aston Villa | 50 |
| 4th | Man Utd | 45 |
| 5th | Chelsea | 44 |
| 6th | Liverpool | 42 |
| 7th | Brentford | 40 |
Two points behind Chelsea, three behind Manchester United and eight behind the high-flying Aston Villa, Liverpool face a clear battle to climb up the rankings, although the fixture list means they do still have control over their own destiny.
Coincidentally, Liverpool’s final four fixtures come against the four other teams fighting the same battle. May brings meetings with United, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Brentford, setting Slot up for a finale which could be both nerve-wracking and decisive.
Getting to May with their fate still under control would be massive for Slot, but the reality is few fans have that sort of confidence in the current iteration of the team, with the biggest tests often coming against teams at the other end of the table.
While January brought an impressive 0–0 draw with Arsenal, it also saw points dropped against Leeds United, Fulham, Burnley and Bournemouth, before an emphatic 4–1 thumping of Newcastle United summed up the inconsistencies which have plagued Slot’s side this season.
On paper, while Liverpool’s end to the season looks to be challenging, the Reds have a comparatively favourable few weeks coming up.
Liverpool’s Next Five Fixtures
| Fixture | Date |
|---|---|
| Nottm Forest (A) | Feb. 22 |
| West Ham (H) | Feb. 28 |
| Wolves (A) | March 3 |
| Tottenham (H) | March 15 |
| Brighton (A) | March 21 |
Four of the current bottom five are next up on the schedule for Liverpool, with Brighton & Hove Albion only marginally higher in 14th heading into the weekend.
Liverpool have a real opportunity to make a statement and put the pressure on their rivals, backed to win 15 points from the next five games which would undoubtedly leave United and Chelsea fans sweating over their own European prospects.
Given the nature of their run-in, Liverpool can ill-afford any further slip-ups, or else this season will quickly descend into a straight shoot-out for Europe and, perhaps, Slot’s future.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The ‘Crucial’ Factor That Could Decide Arne Slot’s Liverpool Future.
