From Premier League champion to survival mode, Liverpool's season is on the brink

Just one year ago Liverpool was closing in on a record-tying 20th English league title. Now coach Arne Slot is in a battle to salvage the season and, perhaps, save his job. A 4-0 defeat to Manchester City last week saw Liverpool crash out of the FA Cup. And a 2-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday has pushed the Merseyside club to the brink of a Champions League exit in the quarterfinals. Add to that a title defense that unraveled early in the campaign and it is little surprise that speculation has mounted regarding Slot's future even after he delivered the Premier League title in his first year in charge. After defeat in Paris, Slot admitted his team was in “survival mode”. His situation has not been helped by the availability of Xabi Alonso, the former Liverpool player who was regarded as a leading candidate to succeed Jurgen Klopp when the club icon stepped down as manager in 2024. Alonso is a free agent after being fired by Real Madrid this season and his stock remains high after winning the German title with Bayer Leverkusen. While Liverpool has given no indication that Slot's job is at risk, the Dutchman has acknowledged that failing to secure a spot in next season's Champions League would be unacceptable. The best chance of qualifying for the competition appear to be via Liverpool's finishing position in the league, with England's top flight set to be given a bonus fifth spot because of its teams' performances in Europe this season. But even that is not guaranteed for Liverpool, which currently sits fifth, just one point above Chelsea. Slot had already said in February that he needed near-perfection from his players to secure a return to European club soccer's top competition, but Liverpool hosts Fulham on Saturday after three straight defeats in all competitions.

Key matchups

Arsenal can extend its lead at the top of the standings to 12 points over second-place Manchester City with a win against Bournemouth. City plays Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. New Tottenham coach Roberto De Zerbi takes charge of his first game away to Sunderland on Sunday, with the club hoping for an immediate bounce to boost its fight to avoid relegation. But it could be in the bottom three by time that game kicks off, with 18th-place West Ham hosting bottom team Wolves on Friday with the chance to leapfrog Spurs.

Players to watch

Mohamed Salah will be back at Anfield for the first time since announcing he would leave Liverpool at the end of the season. Whether he features against Fulham remains to be seen after he was an unused substitute against PSG. His loss of form this season has been a factor in Liverpool's disappointing campaign, while a public row with Slot also cast a shadow over the season. Out of action Arsenal was without Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Tuesday and both were being assessed ahead of the Bournemouth game. Chelsea's Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah missed the FA Cup win against Port Vale last week, with coach Liam Rosenior saying the game came too soon for them as they recover from hamstring and ankle issues, respectively.

Off the field

Liverpool fans plan to protest ticket price rises, starting with the game against Fulham. Supporters group The Spirit of Shankly has called on match-going fans to refuse to spend money inside the stadium in order to send a message to the club's American owner Fenway Sports. “This is a small act, but if enough people do it, it sends a clear message,” it said. \\\_ James Robson is at \\\_ AP soccer: