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Liverpool manager Arne Slot skipped an awards ceremony on Sunday evening, despite knowing he was due to receive the top honour. Slot had been named Northern Football Writers’ Association Manager of the Year after guiding Liverpool to the Premier League title in his debut season. But just hours before the event, he pulled out, with club ambassador Gary McAllister stepping in at short notice to collect the award.
Slot’s decision came less than 24 hours after Liverpool were humiliated in a 3-0 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest — their eighth loss in 11 matches. McAllister, who had been attending Leeds’ match against Aston Villa, was contacted during halftime and rushed to represent the club. He passed on Slot’s apologies and read a brief message from the Dutchman, in which he said he was “extremely proud” to win the award.
A Season Spiralling Out of Control
Liverpool’s collapse in form has been sharp and unsettling. Just a few months ago, Slot was hailed for reviving the team and returning the Premier League trophy to Anfield. Now, with the squad seemingly short of belief and struggling in both boxes, his project is under threat. Fans are growing restless, and internal pressure is beginning to show.
Captain Virgil van Dijk didn’t hold back after the Forest defeat, calling the season “a mess” and saying the squad was “letting Arne down.” The public comments added to the growing concerns that harmony within the dressing room may be starting to fray.
Slot Under Fire
Slot hasn’t hidden from criticism. After Saturday’s defeat, he told the press: “You are responsible when you are winning, but also responsible when you are losing. I can never come up with enough excuses for us to have the results we have. That is far from good enough.”
He added that while the team continues to dominate possession and create chances, they’ve struggled to convert opportunities and have looked vulnerable at key moments. “We miss our chances and the ones we concede seem to always go in,” he said. “That won’t continue all season, but we need to change the energy somehow. Scoring first changes everything — instead, it’s been the opposite.”
Comparisons to Ten Hag’s Fall
Slot’s decision to stay away from Sunday’s event has inevitably drawn comparisons to Erik ten Hag’s appearance at the same awards last year. The then-Manchester United manager picked up an honour for winning the FA Cup, only to be sacked days later. With some bookmakers already moving odds on Slot being the next Premier League manager out the door, the parallels are hard to ignore.
An Uncertain Road Ahead
The message from Anfield is mixed — public support, private concern. If the results don’t turn quickly, Slot’s long-term position could become untenable. The club’s next few fixtures will be critical, not just for their place in the table, but for Slot’s credibility and control.
Missing an awards ceremony might seem minor on the surface. But for a club of Liverpool’s stature, every signal counts — and Arne Slot’s quiet absence on Sunday may have spoken louder than any words.
