Slot sack D-day date named as journalist breaks down Liverpool exit ‘complexities’ and confirms he’s far from safe | OneFootball

Trusted Liverpool journalist David Lynch has revealed Arne Slot is a long way from being able to breathe easy in the Anfield hotseat after admitting the threat of the sack still looms large over his head, and after a report named the date when a review of his position could lead to the axe.

The reigning champions’ title defence has not gone as expected, and with just 11 games remaining, Liverpool find themselves down in sixth place, a distant 16 points behind league leaders Arsenal. Given the wave of expectation that followed them into the season – fuelled by an enormous £440m (€505m, $600m) influx of new signings – the 2025/26 campaign does not look like one that will live long in the memory.

As a result, Slot’s position as Liverpool manager has been called into question on more than one occasion throughout the campaign. And a woeful run of form over the autumn that saw the club lose nine of 12 games, left the Dutchman skating on extremely thin ice.

However, as TEAMtalk correspondent Fraser Fletcher made clear, the Reds were always likely to wield the axe mid-season, instead waiting it out until the season’s end when judgement would be made.

Despite that, Fletcher did reveal that the club’s overlords, FSG, have drawn up a contingency plan should a sudden change need to be made, with Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso both forming part of the short and long-term strategy.

Now, respected journalist Lynch has criticised Slot over what has been an extremely difficult season, but having assessed the tough choices FSG need to make come the season’s end with regards to the Dutchman’s future.

“I completely disagree with the suggestion that nobody could have got more out of them,” Lynch told Anfield Index when asked about Slot’s failure to get the best from his squad.

“Nine defeats in 12 is an absolute disgrace at any level,” he said before adding that the subsequent 13-game unbeaten run was “incredibly unimpressive” given the quality of opposition and number of draws in that time.

“I think some of the criticism of the manager has been absolutely deserved,” Lynch added, pointing to the management and constant selection of Mo Salah and Cody Gakpo.

“Salah is on his longest Premier League goal drought, and he’s clearly declined,” Lynch stated, before adding: “That’s their misjudgement by the way, and that’s what they are judged on.”

Slot, Liverpool sack D-day named in report

Lynch admits he does not envy FSG this summer, feeling they have a very difficult and “complex” situation to assess.

“It’s just too simplistic to say Liverpool should have won the league this season,” Lynch stated before he suggested what the Dutchman must do in order to preserve his position.

“Liverpool have to show improvements over the remainder of the season for Arne Slot to be safe,” Lynch warned. “He just needs to win games by hook or by crook.

“We all agree Liverpool should be better. But quite how much better they can be and how much it’s possible to be in this league… I’m not quite sure.”

However, Lynch insists he does not “envy” the hierarchy this summer, with CEO of football, Michael Edwards, facing a really tough call.

TEAMtalk sources have already revealed that plans to extend the Dutchman’s contract, first floated after the early weeks of the season, have now been frozen and with his current arrangement now having just 16 months left to run.

In his defence and reviewing the tough decision facing FSG, Lynch added: “How much of it is the league itself? How much of it is injuries? How much of it is the fact that they changed so many players over the summer?”

In light of all that, a report from an insider on X with a ‘team of five elite reporters’ and over 700k followers has explained Liverpool’s current stance on Slot and their plan for a season ‘review’.

Their report states: ‘Exclusive: Arne Slot will have his review on Monday 25th May with @LFC officials.

‘The manager’s job is still not safe, even if UCL qualification is achieved.

‘The review will be moved to Tuesday 2nd June if Liverpool are involved in the Champions League final.’

Presumably, though, were Liverpool to be involved in the UCL final, that would indeed mark some success to a certain level and potentially preserve his role for another season.

Following Sunday’s win at Nottingham Forest, which came courtesy of Alexis Mac Allister’s 90+7 minute winner, Slot admitted his side had been fortunate to claim all three points.

“A draw would have been a fairer result than a win for us,” he told the media shortly after the 1-0 triumph at the City Ground.

“The first half was difficult because Forest played well, and they have good players. I wanted more control over their midfield. I highlighted how well they played, but we lost every ball.

“The only part of the game was defending inside the box. We had to defend a lot of set pieces. We stayed in the game.

“We took over the game in the second half, maybe because they played on Thursday.”

Latest Liverpool news: Right-back on a free? £100m defender approves move

Meanwhile, the Reds are being tipped to swoop for a free agent right-back this summer as they look to fill a problem position and with the player’s agent denying reports he has already agreed a move to a league rival.

Elsewhere, the identities of the six clubs looking at signing Andy Robertson via free agency have been revealed, while Liverpool have also been linked with a €70m-rated left-back who’d take his place and compete with Milos Kerkez.

In other news, sources remain adamant that Dominik Szoboszlai is on course to sign a new deal at Anfield, while truths over persistent links with Real Madrid have also been explained.

And finally, we can reveal that a £100m-rated Premier League defender has approved a move away from his current club this summer, and with sources naming both .