Arne Slot's tenure at Liverpool felt untenable until, on Saturday, he was finally dismissed as manager. While it didn't end well, he should be remembered warmly for his work succeeding a club legend in Jurgen Klopp.
Arne Slot's tenure at Liverpool felt untenable until, on Saturday, he was finally dismissed as manager.
While it didn't end well, he should be remembered warmly for his work succeeding a club legend in Jurgen Klopp.
Beth LindopMay 30, 2026, 01:08 PM ETCloseBased in Liverpool, Beth Lindop is ESPN's Liverpool correspondent and also covers the WSL and UWCL.
Beth LindopMay 30, 2026, 01:08 PM ET
Perhaps Arne Slot knew it was coming. As the Liverpool players completed their customary end-of-season lap of honour last Sunday, following a stressful 1-1 draw with Brentford, the Dutchman sat alone in the Anfield dugout and puffed out his cheeks.
While it took a further six days for his immediate departure to be officially confirmed by the club, perhaps Slot suspected in his moment of quiet reflection that he'd already passed the point of no return on Merseyside. Certainly, he did not look like a man buoyed by the prospect of a new dawn on the horizon, but rather one desperately relieved that it was nearly all over.
Then, on Saturday morning, it was over, with Liverpool confirming Slot was stepping down as manager with immediate effect.
It has been -- for so many reasons -- a season to forget for Liverpool, with Slot's underperformance one of the numerous factors behind the Reds' shambolic Premier League title defence. Their 60-point tally was enough to clinch UEFA Champions League qualification by virtue of a fifth-place finish, but 20 defeats in all competitions represented a spectacular fall from grace for a team who went into the campaign as overwhelming favourites to retain their crown.
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While Liverpool's hierarchy were publicly unwavering in their support for Slot for the duration of the difficult campaign, sources told ESPN that privately, his departure had come to feel inevitable amid a maelstrom of unrest at Anfield. Making a change so soon after the end of the season was viewed internally as the best way to limit disruption for a squad that's already facing the prospect of a significant revamp this summer.
Averytin News Premier League update.