“Liverpool bids farewell to the FA Cup and pressure on Slot increases.”

How did it come to this? Exactly one year ago, Liverpool fans were experiencing the ecstasy of a Merseyside derby victory that put them on the brink of winning the Premier League title. The defeat at Fulham days later was merely a temporary setback. Before the month ended, Anfield was alive with an unforgettable celebration, featuring a resounding 5-1 victory over Tottenham that secured glory in the league. The euphoria was palpable: chants, celebrations in the stands and on the streets of Liverpool, and the name of Arne Slot sung with passion, the man who replaced Jurgen Klopp and seemed to be steering the club towards a new victorious cycle in his very first season.

However, less than 12 months later, the reality is different. The unity and conviction of the fans have given way to a sense of apathy, doubt, and frustration regarding the future of the Dutch coach. The latest nightmare was the humiliating 4-0 defeat at the Etihad against Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals. This setback marks Liverpool’s 15th defeat in all competitions this season, a figure not seen since the 2014-15 season when Brendan Rodgers recorded 18 losses.

The atmosphere was tense, with fans of the City provocatively chanting “You’re fired tomorrow” at Slot, as the team conceded four goals in just 20 minutes, split between the end of the first half and the start of the second. Despite the chorus of criticism, the club remains silent about any intention to dismiss the coach, whether now or at the end of the season. Slot, in a statement to TNT Sports, took responsibility and emphasized the need for resilience: “We can’t always have positive results; we need to get up when things aren’t going well, and that’s what we have to do now.”

The truth is that the lack of fighting spirit and mental fragility have been a constant this season. After a good start to the game and matching forces with Pep Guardiola’s team for 35 minutes, the Reds crumbled following the penalty converted by Erling Haaland. The second goal from the Norwegian striker, just before halftime, almost sealed the match, and the two quick goals in the second half buried the visitors’ hopes. Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool’s midfielder, did not hide his disappointment: “The fighting spirit was not at the necessary level; the mentality was not enough.”

Slot admitted to BBC Sport that the team has been repeating the same mistakes throughout the season, particularly the inability to respond to setbacks. This fragility is a stark contrast to the “monsters” mentality that Klopp instilled during his tenure. Former Liverpool forward Robbie Fowler was even more direct in his analysis during an interview with TNT Sports: “Arne Slot needs to get the players to be better versions of themselves. We need leaders who can drag the team through difficult moments, and that is not happening with the current coach.”

The message from the former German manager, who promised to turn the ‘doubters into believers’ upon his arrival at the club, seems increasingly distant. The mass exodus of away fans from the stands while City extended their lead to 4-0 is a portrait of the lack of faith that now dominates the Liverpool landscape.

Following the defeat at Brighton, Slot and Liverpool were pinning their hopes on the international break to regain strength and prepare for the fight until the end of the season. Meanwhile, the confirmation of Mohamed Salah’s departure in the summer is a hard, albeit expected, blow that adds even more pressure to an already weakened squad. With the next major test arriving this Wednesday, in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals against Paris Saint-Germain, the Liverpool team urgently needs to respond—or risk an even more disastrous outcome.

The truth is clear: Liverpool is at a critical moment, where the patience of the fans and the confidence in coach Arne Slot are rapidly running out. The club’s immediate future now depends on the team’s ability to recover and the mental strength they can demonstrate. The pressure has never been greater, and the doubts have never been more evident. What remains to be seen is whether Slot has the tools to reverse this negative spiral or if the end of the Klopp era will leave an unfillable void.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.