Liverpool: Pearce reveals Alonso ‘reality’ as five Slot issues sparked squad’s ‘collective sense of frustration’ | OneFootball

A new report has revealed five conflicts between Arne Slot and Liverpool’s squad during the 2025/26 campaign, while the ‘reality’ with Xabi Alonso has also surfaced.

Over the weekend, it was announced that Liverpool have parted ways with Slot following an incredibly disappointing 2025/26 campaign.

The Reds surpassed all expectations during Slot’s debut season at Anfield by winning their 20th Premier League title, but their form and performances fell off a cliff during the 2025/26 campaign.

Slot gradually lost fan support over his tedious approach to matches, but it was widely reported that club chiefs intended to stick with him after he secured Champions League qualification in a trophyless season.

Several mitigating issues contributed to Liverpool’s problems during the 2025/26 campaign, but Slot deserves a large portion of the blame for their sudden downturn, and it was hard to see a route to him re-establishing himself if he stayed.

So, it feels like the Reds hierarchy made the right decision to move past Slot, who is reportedly set to be replaced by Andoni Iraola for five main reasons.

Now, a detailed new report from Liverpool expert James Pearce from The Athletic has shed light on why Slot’s reign fell apart, with the ‘collective sense of frustration’ in the squad ‘growing’ instead of him fully ‘losing the dressing room’.

It is also noted that ‘no players were consulted’ over sacking Slot, but the report claims there had been ‘friction’ for several reasons.

Five issues between Slot and Liverpool’s squad revealed

It is noted that some players ’empathised’ with Mohamed Salah over his downturn in form, with it felt as if Liverpool’s ‘game plans were shaped around’ Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz at the start of the campaign.

It was also reportedly felt as if Liverpool’s summer signings were ‘given an easier ride’ than other players and were more sure of a place in Slot’s starting XI, while others ‘privately questioned’ the decision ‘of moving Dominik Szoboszlai, their most influential midfielder, to fill in the void at right-back in the absence of Conor Bradley’.

The report goes on to state that there were two more squad issues with Slot in the final weeks of the campaign.

The report explains:

Also, club legend Alonso was mooted as a replacement for Slot before they turned to Iraola, but Pearce claims ‘the reality is that the new Chelsea boss wasn’t viewed as a serious contender by Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes’.