Arne Slot out? Liverpool fans chant Xabi Alonso's name as disappointed Reds fans leave FA Cup humiliation against Man City

The sight of thousands of Liverpool supporters heading for the exits before full-time, with the team trailing 4-0 against Man City in FA Cup and offering little resistance, became a damning indictment of Slot’s tenure, as frustration spilled from social media into the stands, where chants of Xabi Alonso’s name rang out, reflecting growing calls for the Spaniard to replace the under-pressure Dutchman.

The match itself was a nightmare from start to finish for the Merseyside outfit. Erling Haaland was in clinical form, bagging a hat-trick to dismantle the Liverpool defence, while Antoine Semenyo - a player previously linked with a move to Anfield - added a fourth to seal the rout. The gulf in class between the two sides was evident throughout the 90 minutes.

The defeat effectively ends any realistic hope of domestic silverware this season for Liverpool. While City fans taunted Slot with cries of “you’re getting sacked in the morning,” the reality is that the manager’s position has never looked more vulnerable. Facing a monumental task to keep the dressing room and the fanbase on side, Slot cut a lonely figure on the touchline as his side capitulated.

The statistical data behind Liverpool's decline makes for grim reading. According to Opta, Liverpool have now lost 15 games across all competitions this season. This is their highest number of defeats in a single campaign since Brendan Rodgers' final full season in 2014-15, when they lost 18 times - and Slot still has at least nine matches left to play.

The atmosphere surrounding the club is beginning to mirror the final days of the Rodgers era. Despite maintaining and insisting that Fenway Sports Group will continue to back the head coach, the lack of progress on the pitch is making that stance increasingly difficult to justify. With a Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain also looming, the focus on a top-five finish to secure European football may be Slot's only chance to salvage the season.