Liverpool’s season has taken a sharp turn, and the mood around Anfield has shifted from concern to full-blown worry. Many fans are asking the same question: why is Arne Slot still in charge after such a dramatic collapse?
Now, Paul Joyce has reportedly offered the clearest explanation yet — but the full story may surprise many.
It has been a brutal few weeks. Liverpool have slipped from defending champions to mid-table strugglers, losing six of their last seven Premier League games. That’s not a blip. That’s a breakdown.
The 3-0 loss at home to Nottingham Forest shook the Kop, and the numbers have been even harder to digest.
But despite the pressure, despite the noise, Slot is still in the dugout — and Joyce has shed light on why.
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What Paul Joyce said about Arne Slot?
According to The Times’ Paul Joyce, Liverpool have not pulled the trigger yet because the club still believes Slot deserves time after what he achieved last season.
Joyce wrote: “The head coach retains the backing of the Liverpool hierarchy and he deserves that support given it is only seven months since he won the Premier League title.”
That title is still doing a lot of heavy lifting.
The club also reportedly sees the chaos of the summer as a major factor. Liverpool went from a squad that knew each other inside out to a team filled with expensive new arrivals learning on the job.
It has shown — painfully at times. Joyce added: “There is an appreciation of what a summer of transition entails.”
Even the new dream duo has barely spent time together. “Isak and Wirtz have played together for only 267 minutes,” Joyce noted.
But patience has limits, even at Liverpool.
Fewest points after 12 games by defending Premier League champions
| Team | Season | Played | W | D | L | Points | Finished |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | 2015–16 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 10th |
| Leicester City | 2016–17 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 12th |
| Blackburn Rovers | 1995–96 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 7th |
| Liverpool | 2025–26 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 18 | ? |
| Manchester United | 1996–97 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 1st |
The real warning behind the scenes
Here’s where the situation gets tense. Joyce says the club will not overlook the results forever. Slot must now prove that his belief in the squad still holds weight. “Liverpool cannot keep losing,” Joyce stated, and that line hangs heavy over everything.
The numbers are dire. The confidence looks cracked. And Liverpool’s identity — once full of intensity and belief — feels like it has lost its spark.
Even Slot himself has admitted the pressure is mounting, saying after the Forest defeat: “If things go well or things go bad, it’s my responsibility.”
Liverpool now face PSV in the Champions League, and it feels bigger than just a normal group game. It might just define how long Slot stays in the job.
What Anfield Home thinks?
The club is showing loyalty — for now. But football is a results game, not a nostalgia contest. Slot still has credit from last season, but that credit is shrinking faster than a high line against a counterattack.
Unless performances change quickly, even Paul Joyce’s reasoning won’t be enough to save the situation.
Liverpool fans deserve clarity, consistency, and a team that reflects the badge. Time is running out to deliver that.