Fans react with “Zero hope” for Slot after Liverpool lose 4-0 to Man City in FA Cup | OneFootball

Liverpool Collapse Against Manchester City in FA Cup Sparks Fierce Arne Slot Debate

Liverpool’s 4-0 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup has left more than a scoreline behind. It has exposed a growing crisis of belief around Liverpool and intensified scrutiny on manager Arne Slot.

Speaking on the Anfield Index podcast, Gags Tandon and Lola Katz Roberts did not hold back. Their reaction captured a fanbase drifting from frustration into resignation.

Belief draining from Liverpool fanbase

From the opening exchanges, the mood was set. Lola Katz Roberts admitted, “I think having a feeling of dread waking up on a match day is really a sign of where things are at the moment.” That sense of dread now defines Liverpool’s season.

Gags Tandon was even more blunt about the direction under Slot. “I pray he turns it around, but I have zero hope he’s going to turn it around.” That line alone sums up the disconnect between hope and expectation.

There was acknowledgement that Liverpool competed early on. Tandon noted, “For thirty five minutes or so we were handling it.” But football matches are not won in fragments. Once City scored, the collapse felt inevitable.

Katz Roberts pinpointed the deeper issue, saying, “When the goal goes in, they give up, people lack belief in what they’re being told to do.” This was not framed as a lack of talent. In fact, she stressed, “They are the Premier League champions. They literally won it last season.”

The problem is belief, or the absence of it.

Arne Slot under increasing scrutiny

The strongest criticism was reserved for the manager. Tandon argued, “As soon as we go behind, this team has no balls anymore.” He tied that directly to leadership and preparation, adding, “He cannot motivate them.”

Katz Roberts reinforced the point from a tactical and cultural angle. “If you believe in what your manager is telling you, then you will keep going, but if you don’t believe, then you’ll give up.”

There was also frustration at the lack of visible progress. Tandon stated plainly, “It’s not good enough, the overriding feeling, is we’re not good enough.” He went further, suggesting the decision to persist with Slot has already cost Liverpool dearly, “Keeping this manager in, they just come across idiotic, really.”

The critique was not limited to tactics. Fitness and intensity were questioned too. “It’s like they’re not fit enough to press,” Tandon said, highlighting a departure from Liverpool’s identity over the past decade.

Photo: IMAGO

Tactical issues and lack of identity

Debate around formation was quickly dismissed as a surface issue. Katz Roberts argued, “The problem is not actually the formation, it’s the pressing or not pressing thing.” For Liverpool, intensity has always been non-negotiable.

She highlighted moments that symbolised a deeper malaise, saying, “There is a big problem, when you watch Ekitike sort of half go for the ball and then give up.” That lack of urgency reflects a team unsure of its direction.

Tandon added a damning assessment of Liverpool’s fragility, “As soon as this team goes down 1-0 they have not shown us that they can come back.” In elite football, that mentality is fatal.

Even statistical arguments were dismissed. Tandon described the expected goals narrative as misleading, calling it “nonsense” and insisting, “They outfought us.”

Fans losing connection with the team

Perhaps the most powerful insight came when the conversation turned to supporters. Katz Roberts said, “We shouldn’t be sat here feeling like this.” She compared it to previous difficult periods, noting that even then, “you always believed.”

Now, that belief has gone. “I’m not angry now. I’m just disappointed, I no longer believe in what we’re doing.”

Tandon echoed that sentiment with a broader warning, “The synergy of fans, players, club has all gone.” For a club built on connection and collective energy, that breakdown is critical.

Katz Roberts framed it in stark terms, “Having absolutely no belief whatsoever… is the unacceptable thing.” She went further, calling the situation “unforgivable.”

What comes next for Liverpool?

The podcast made it clear that patience is wearing thin. Both contributors agreed on the urgency of change. Tandon said, “He should be sacked after losing 4-0 at Man City.” Katz Roberts did not hesitate when asked if Slot should go, replying, “Today? Yeah.”

Yet there is also realism about ownership decisions. Katz Roberts explained the business angle, questioning whether Liverpool can risk missing out on Champions League revenue. Still, she warned against caution, arguing that decisive action defines success.

For now, Liverpool remain stuck between hope and inevitability. As Tandon admitted, “If they stick with him, and he proves us wrong, I’m happy to be wrong.” But that feels more like a plea than a prediction.

This defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup was not just heavy. It was revealing. It showed a team lacking belief, a manager under pressure, and a fanbase searching for something it once took for granted.

Belief.