Liverpool arrive at a demanding moment after suffering five defeats in the club’s last six games. There has been speculation about Slot’s job being under threat, but those suggestions have been played down and Liverpool’s chiefs are said to still have “100% confidence” in the Dutchman.

With fixtures arriving quickly, the club must respond at once. A Carabao Cup fourth round tie against Crystal Palace, a side that has troubled Liverpool recently, provides the next opportunity.

In his prematch programme notes the captain pushed for a collective reaction. “My message ahead of this game is a simple one: we stick together, no matter what,” Van Dijk wrote. “We know that this is a difficult moment. We know that results and performances are not what we want them to be, and that will lead to pressure, scrutiny and criticism from the outside. We accept that.

“When you play for a club like Liverpool , it comes with certain standards and expectations. So when you fall short of those standards and don’t meet those expectations, you have to deal with what comes next. That’s just how it is.

“And then you have to show the right reaction. You have to look at yourself, show strength and character, work hard and find a way to bounce back. That is exactly what we will be looking to do this evening.”

Van Dijk went on to reflect on recent results. “Saturday was extremely disappointing, of course,” Van Dijk continued. “Having done well over in Frankfurt in the Champions League , we wanted to try to build on that down at Brentford. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to do so, and to lose in the manner we did was a tough one to take, no doubt about it.

“The good thing about top-level football, though, is that there is always another game coming around quickly, another chance to put things right. There is no time to feel sorry for yourself, not when you are representing this football club.

“Our reaction must start now. I’ve said this many times previously, but everything starts with hard work, humility and togetherness. We are a team, and we must show that in both the good times and the not-so-good times. If we do, then I am confident we have the quality to get ourselves out of this difficult period.”

Writing in his own programme notes, Slot echoed similar themes and acknowledged the gap between expectations and recent performances. “It goes without saying that our recent form has not reached the standards that you expect of us or that we expect of ourselves,” Slot penned. “This is, of course, a major disappointment, especially given the positive start we made to the season.

“From our perspective, there are no excuses. Yes, we are aware of the reasons and we will discuss them, but the one thing we cannot and will not do is use them as an excuse. Our responsibility is to recognise what is happening and put things right. There is no other option.”

Liverpool acknowledge the need for an immediate improvement in results but remain committed to Arne Slot despite a sharp dip in form. After a sequence of early wins sparked by late goals, the club have lost five of their last six matches, including four consecutive Premier League defeats.

Reports of unrest and speculation about Slot’s position have circulated, yet Fabrizio Romano states Liverpool’s faith in the Dutch boss remains unwavering and there are no plans to even consider making a change in the dugout. Club officials are said to be “100% convinced” that Slot is the right manager to guide the side forward.

Inside Liverpool there is an acceptance that alterations to the squad have affected fluidity and cohesion on the pitch, and that those adjustments are a significant factor in the slump. The squad is understood to still support the manager and are prepared to give him time to find solutions.

The club view the recent defeats as primarily tactical problems: opponents have taken approaches Liverpool have struggled to counter. The list of recent losses includes Crystal Palace, Galatasaray, Chelsea, Manchester United and Brentford. That sequence has prompted debate about the team’s physical profile and set-piece vulnerability.

Jamie Carragher, who recently argued the Reds were approaching a “crisis”, attributed part of the problem to a lack of physicality, saying the side have failed to deal with long throws and set pieces.

The immediate priority for Slot and his staff is to adjust tactics or personnel to address those shortcomings and restore cohesion. There is hope within the club that such changes will halt the run of poor results.

Slot’s next opportunity to stem the pressure arrives on Wednesday, when Liverpool face Crystal Palace in a Carabao Cup fourth-round tie. Palace were the first side to beat Liverpool in this recent sequence and also prevailed in the Community Shield earlier in the season.

The 2025 FIFPRO World XI nominees were announced on Monday and the shortlist left a number of established performers off the list. Several omissions have prompted debate over which players deserved recognition.

Harry Kane was one of the most surprising names absent. He led the Bundesliga in scoring last season, finished with 41 goals in all competitions and won his first major trophy. Kane also finished fifth in the European Golden Boot race behind Kylian Mbappé, Viktor Gyökeres, Mohamed Salah and Robert Lewandowski. The shortlist included two of those names and excluded two, making his omission notable given his scoring numbers.

The exclusion of Gabriel also raised eyebrows. “It’s honestly preference comparing Gabriel and William Saliba, but for many who watched Arsenal closely the Brazilian was arguably the better of the two last season.” The piece highlights Gabriel’s role as a defensive leader who also poses a significant threat from set pieces and notes he is being spoken of as a potential player of the season for the current campaign.

Wojciech Szczęsny was another overlooked name. He returned from retirement midseason to join Barcelona in crisis and made his debut on Jan. 4. By the end of the campaign he had added three more trophies as Barcelona completed a first domestic treble. He subsequently earned a new contract extending his stay through 2027.

Liverpool’s midfield pairing also suffered from the voting. The article points to Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch being left out and argues both had strong claims. Mac Allister missed only three Premier League games last season, contributed 10 goal involvements and was an important part of the title-winning engine room.

Finally, Moisés Caicedo was highlighted as a major snub. Caicedo played every Premier League match last season as Chelsea secured a top-four finish under Enzo Maresca, scored in the UEFA Conference League final and played a major role in Chelsea’s FIFA Club World Cup victory over the summer.

These five absences underline the difficult choices in assembling a World XI and why the 2025 shortlist has drawn criticism.