Arne Slot Delivers Shocking Liverpool Prophecy as Title Defence Crumbles
Liverpool boss Arne Slot maintains that "the finest moments are yet to arrive" for his squad as he presented data to support his appeal for supporter confidence.
After surpassing projections to claim the previous campaign's Premier League crown, significant expectations surrounded Liverpool in 2025–26 even before they launched their most costly transfer period ever, bringing in players such as Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez. Stating that matters have not proceeded as planned would be putting it mildly.
With underperforming stars and lackluster outcomes, speculation about Slot's dismissal emerged just weeks earlier, though a recent improvement in performance saw Liverpool occupy fifth position on Christmas Day, matching Chelsea's point total above them.
"We find ourselves where we've earned after the opening portion of the campaign," Slot stated. "I believe we should be positioned higher, let me be clear—I was anticipating and wishing for us to sit higher in the standings—but even across the previous six matches the gap between us and our opponents remains consistently narrow.
"Recently we have occasionally benefited from fortunate outcomes and we must discover circumstances where we significantly outclass our opposition so that fortune or misfortune no longer affects the result.
"I believe the matches we've lost came down to bad luck. Officials and dead-ball situations have tremendously affected our season's beginning, though we shouldn't use that as justification. That shouldn't result in us losing points. We must ensure like the previous season when numerous decisions worked against us too but it didn't damage us."
Slot: Dead-Ball Situations Behind Liverpool's Sluggish Beginning
Though Slot acknowledged Liverpool didn't merit being in championship contention following their sluggish beginning, he quickly contended that the Reds have generated the type of numbers typically associated with title favorites and have instead encountered unfortunate circumstances.
"Squad members are becoming increasingly fit, not just those we acquired but also those who were absent during pre-season preparation," Slot added. "They are adapting to one another. I believe this team's peak performance lies ahead.
"When you examine what occurred during the opening half [of the campaign] then I'm not particularly shocked by our position. When you consider our dead-ball differential, there isn't a single club globally that sits at minus eight in set situations yet remains joint-fourth in the division. If you locate such a team please inform me.
"In regular play we lead the league in opportunity generation but I don't believe anyone recognizes it because generally we face substantial criticism. That holds true when simply examining results, but if you removed the set situations then circumstances would appear entirely different and we would likely be five or six points better positioned.
"People respond: 'What are you discussing? Set situations are integral to the sport.' Naturally it's part of football but it represents a distinct component within the match, one might argue. The foundation is the football itself and set situations are supplementary. However set situations carry enormous influence on a football match and equally on the league standings."