BySam Drury. Un journaliste sportif pour la BBC. – Ce? Deux cent vingt commentaires How did things end up like this? One year ago today, Liverpool supporters were still reveling in the euphoria of a Merseyside derby victory that had them on the verge of Premier League glory. A loss at Fulham days later was just a minor setback, and by month’s end, Anfield erupted in joy and champagne as they clinched the title with a 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham. On-pitch and in the stands, celebrations were raucous and prolonged, while outside the stadium and throughout the city, the festivities carried on even longer and louder. Fans belted out every anthem, roaring Arne Slot’s name with fervor after he stepped into the daunting role of succeeding Jurgen Klopp and guided Liverpool to triumph in his debut season. No one there could have imagined that, under a year later, a fanbase once so fiercely united behind its team and manager would now be, at best, indifferent about Slot’s future. Saturday’s devastating 4-0 FA Cup quarter-final thrashing at Manchester City marked yet another grim chapter in a woeful season Liverpool fans are desperate to end. It was the Reds’ 15th defeat across all competitions this campaign—their highest tally in a single season since 35 losses under Brendan Rodgers in 2014-15. “You’re getting sacked in the morning!” jeered delighted City fans at Slot as their team netted four goals in 20 minutes around halftime. Though some traveling supporters who endured it might have echoed the taunt, there’s no sign the club intends to axe the Dutchman now or in the summer. “It can’t always be positive, and you have to stand tall when it’s not—that’s what this is about now,” Slot said to TNT Sports. Haaland hat-trick helps Man City thrash toothless Liverpool. They lacked fighting spirit. Arne Slot might still have the backing of his Liverpool bosses for the moment, but the surrender at the Etihad has intensified the scrutiny ahead of a pivotal Champions League quarter-final first leg against Paris St-Germain on Wednesday. The way they crumbled against City offers scant reassurance that they can dodge a repeat against the European champions, who dismantled Chelsea so mercilessly in the previous round. After a strong start where they held their own against Pep Guardiola’s team for the opening 35 minutes, Liverpool fell apart following Erling Haaland’s penalty. The Norwegian forward’s second goal just before halftime sealed the match, with a pair of rapid strikes after the interval putting it beyond doubt. “The fighting spirit wasn’t sufficient, the mentality wasn’t there enough,” said Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai to TNT Sports. Slot, speaking to BBC Sport, noted “many recurring themes” throughout the season. The primary issue is their apparent struggle to weather a setback and rally back. This year, even minor hiccups have frequently derailed Liverpool after promising beginnings—a stark contrast to the “mentality monsters” Jürgen Klopp
