Lewis Steele shares his thoughts on Arne Slot’s future at Liverpool | OneFootball

Liverpool and Arne Slot Face Growing Scrutiny After Disastrous Title Defence

The pressure around Liverpool and Arne Slot continues to intensify after another damaging defeat, with the debate around the Dutchman’s future now impossible to ignore.

Speaking on Anfield Index’s Media Matters podcast, host Dave Davis and journalist Lewis Steele delivered a brutally honest assessment of Liverpool’s collapse following the 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa. Steele’s verdict was especially striking. He said Slot “has shown absolutely nothing in that period to show he is the man to lead this team forward”.

That line summed up the mood surrounding Liverpool after a season that has spiralled badly since the autumn. Steele repeatedly stressed that the problems are no longer isolated incidents. “That’s the story of the season,” he said after describing how Aston Villa “cut through” Liverpool with alarming ease.

Defensive Problems Continue to Haunt Liverpool

Steele’s criticism centred heavily on Liverpool’s structure without the ball. He described the midfield as being bypassed “like hot knife through butter” and questioned why the side continued to concede huge numbers of chances every week.

“I don’t think anyone quite understands just how bad this season has been,” Steele told Davis. “It’s been pretty terrible to watch for a year now.”

The discussion also highlighted Liverpool’s dreadful away form against strong opposition. Davis pointed to a record of one draw and seven defeats away from home against the top nine, while Steele admitted the entire campaign had become “a catastrophe from pretty much mid September to now”.

The concern among supporters has clearly deepened. Steele noted that fans leaving early has become increasingly common because “the team aren’t running”. He added: “I don’t blame them at all for leaving.”

Arne Slot Defends His Position

Despite the criticism, Slot appears determined to fight on. Davis referenced comments from the Liverpool head coach insisting there was “no reason to think” he would not remain in charge next season.

Steele admitted the Liverpool manager has become “quite animated in recent weeks”, adding: “I’d want to see him putting up a fight.”

Photo: IMAGO

Yet the journalist also questioned whether there is any evidence that improvements are coming. “I’ve not seen anything to make me think it’s suddenly going to click,” Steele said. Later in the podcast, he went even further: “I’m not seeing any evidence to suggest that he knows how to change it right now.”

That frustration extends beyond fan opinion. Steele revealed that journalists from outside Merseyside are now beginning to question how Slot is still in the job. “People across the country are starting to think how is he keeping on to his job,” he said.

Mohamed Salah Comments Add to Pressure

The podcast also addressed the recent statement from Mohamed Salah, particularly his reference to Liverpool losing their “heavy metal football”.

Steele viewed Salah’s comments as justified. “Everything he said was right,” he argued. “The standards have slipped.”

He also defended Salah’s right to speak publicly after helping transform Liverpool into serial winners over the past decade. “He has earned the right to say that the standards have dropped because they have,” Steele said.

The wider issue for Liverpool is that uncertainty now surrounds almost every level of the club, from recruitment and contracts to leadership and direction. Steele even suggested sporting director Richard Hughes should publicly address the situation because “there’s so many question marks about everything”.

For now, Slot remains Liverpool’s manager. Yet after months of decline, the questions are growing louder, and the answers still feel painfully unclear.