As Premier League success looms, Liverpool’s future hangs in the balance.

Liverpool stands on the brink of Premier League triumph, with only a spectacular collapse preventing them from securing the title. However, there’s an unmistakable feeling of disappointment and uncertainty regarding the future following a tough week for Arne Slot’s side.

This past Sunday, the lacklustre Reds fell to a determined Newcastle outfit in the League Cup final, just five days after Paris Saint-Germain ended their Champions League aspirations.

At Wembley, Liverpool were outclassed by the Magpies, who celebrated their first domestic trophy in 70 years in front of their fervent supporters.

After the loss, Slot remained calm, acknowledging that Eddie Howe’s team fully deserved their victory.

“This is part and parcel of football, especially when one of your opponents is currently the top team in Europe and the other is facing a very strong Newcastle side,” he remarked.

The Dutchman aimed to redirect attention towards the Premier League, emphasising Liverpool’s substantial 12-point lead with only nine matches left to play.

With just 16 more points needed to clinch the title—even if second-placed Arsenal wins all their remaining games—the upcoming match in May against the Gunners at Anfield may have little significance.

It’s nearly unimaginable that Liverpool won’t succeed in matching Manchester United’s record of 20 top-flight titles, and captain Virgil van Dijk believes they shouldn’t require any additional motivation.

“We have nine games remaining, and I don’t believe we need to be motivated further,” stated the defender. “What we need to understand is that hard work lies ahead and we have a job to finish.”

“If we manage to win five games—which is undoubtedly a challenging task—we’ll be crowned champions of England.”

At the beginning of the season, Liverpool supporters would have been thrilled to secure just the Premier League in the first season following the exit of influential manager Jurgen Klopp.

However, their remarkable form during the league stage of the Champions League raised expectations for a historic season, largely driven by the exploits of the unstoppable Mohamed Salah.

Regrettably, the clinical edge they exhibited earlier in the campaign seems to have waned, at least for now. In their last 10 outings across all competitions, Liverpool has recorded five wins, two draws, and three losses, with one of those being a penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

Even Salah has struggled to find the back of the net, going scoreless in four of his last five matches and being relatively quiet at Wembley.

The Egyptian, along with Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, is one of three key players whose contracts expire at the end of the season.

Contract Concerns

Slot has faced persistent inquiries throughout the season regarding the future of these players, often chuckling at journalists’ attempts to rephrase the questions about their prospects.

Yet, with only two months left in the domestic season, their futures remain uncertain. Van Dijk admitted recently that he was “unsure” about his future at Anfield following this season.

Salah has been linked with a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia, and there is ongoing speculation that England’s Alexander-Arnold may attract the attention of Real Madrid.

Even if Liverpool succeeds in retaining one or more of these stars, there’s a feeling that the team is approaching the end of an era rather than embarking on a new chapter.

Van Dijk is currently 33, while both Salah and goalkeeper Alisson Becker are 32. Long-time defender Andy Robertson is just a year younger.

These players have been pivotal for Klopp’s squads, relentlessly challenging Pep Guardiola’s dominant Manchester City, claiming both the Premier League and the Champions League under the German manager.

When Slot took the helm last year, he had enormous shoes to fill following Klopp’s departure, but he didn’t face his second defeat until January. Unless a remarkable collapse occurs, Liverpool is on track to secure only their second top-flight title since 1990 in the weeks to come.

Slot will surely savour the achievement but understands that substantial work lies ahead.