THE walls are closing in on Arne Slot and Eddie Howe.
Heroes just last summer, lauded by the pundits, tipped for greatness.
Arne Slot was on cloud nine last May after guiding Liverpool to the Premier League titleCredit: GETTY
So was Eddie Howe after ending Newcastle’s 56-year trophy drought last MarchCredit: GETTY
Now they are both sliding increasingly towards becoming managerial zeroes.
February making them shiver, with every paper that’s delivered, to paraphrase Don McLean.
As summer turned to autumn, they scrapped for damaging weeks over a player who is on the pitch for neither of them for now.
And the increasing likelihood is that their salvation may depend on winning the , as it’s the only way of being in it next season.
Like Slot on Merseyside after delivering the Prem crown in his debut season, Howe was feted on Tyneside after ending Newcastle’s trophy curse at Wembley.
Yet now they feel united only in misery and doubt, their authority waning, the fans turning, a sense of doom hanging in the air.
Harsh though it might seem to pin responsibility on , the Swedish striker, 26, is a contributory factor and element in both scenarios.
The determination of Isak to quit Toon for the Kop undermined Howe’s preparations, creating a mood of discontent and anger — not helped when eventual replacement Yoane Wissa, 29, turned up crocked for five months.
Arne Slot has overseen a torrid season for the defending Premier League championsCredit: REUTERS
Toon boss Eddie Howe is also under mounting pressure at St James’ Park
Yet that fall-out hurt the Reds, too, as Isak pitched up at Anfield nowhere near fit to play.
The British record signing was supposed to be the spearhead of Slot’s new-look side, a £426million refit, building from a position of strength.
It hasn’t worked out that way. Just ten starts and three goals and now out for at least another month after his fractured leg at Spurs.
The Mo Salah storm, Slot standing up to the Egyptian and bringing him to heel, appeared to be a relaunch after the Reds had lost nine out of 12 in all competitions from the end of September.
There is deep understanding, too, that the entire season has taken place under the shadow of tragedy.
The impact of on the entire Liverpool dressing room cannot be understated. A reaction was inevitable.
But is a relentless beast. You cannot call a time-out to re-set, let alone grieve.
Liverpool have picked up just seven points from seven Prem games in 2026.
They were wretched in the first half against Manchester City and are now four points adrift of that likely fifth Champions League spot, behind a resurgent and improving Che
They were wretched in the first half against Manchester City and are now four points adrift of that likely fifth Champions League spot, behind a resurgent Manchester United and improving Chelsea.
Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz have had their moments — but neither flourished on Sunday.
Salah — again — flattered to deceive. Maybe they should have cashed in on the Saudi interest?
Liverpool have picked up seven points from a possible 21 this yearCredit: Getty
Alexander Isak joined the struggling Reds from Newcastle, who he well and truly left on the lurchCredit: EPA
Equally critically, that late collapse was symptomatic of much of the campaign.
Liverpool might have been resembling Harry Houdini with their series of early-season escape acts.
Since that good fortune turned against them at in late September, the 90th-minute mark has been a torment for them.
Erling Haaland’s penalty at the weekend represented the sixth occasion this season they have dropped points in added time.
And things like that mean the clock is ticking for the manager. Especially when Kop legend is waiting in the wings.
Not that the Toon boss is in much better shape.
Saturday’s 3-2 home defeat by Brentford means Howe’s Carabao Cup heroes have managed one win in eight in all competitions.
They are without a Prem victory since a remarkable extra-time comeback against Leeds on January 7.
While the journey time to Qarabag next week should prove more taxing than the two legs of football against the Azerbaijan side, Newcastle would then face Chelsea or Barcelona in the last 16. They would not be favourites.
Of course, Howe’s plight might be eased tonight by a visit to “Dr Tottenham”.
Thomas Frank’s side have ended long winless runs for both Bournemouth and West Ham in recent weeks, and nearly did the same for Burnley.
And unlike Slot, Howe’s potential replacement has not already been identified by their fans, who have started to turn in numbers.
Things can change, of course. Glory in the Champions League final in Budapest for either of them in May would certainly represent a transformation.
Yet this feels like the start of the end-game for both. The wheel turns mesmerisingly fast.
Kop legend Xabi Alonso could potentially replace Arne SlotCredit: GETTY
We can’t get shirty… the ref got it right!
Craig Pawson faced plenty of stick for in the final seconds at Anfield.
While few might have really complained had it stood, Pawson would have been hauled over the coals for ignoring the laws.
Yes, it felt like the ultimate in spoilsports. Erling Haaland would have been in front of Dominik Szoboszlai, rather than chasing him, had he not had his shirt pulled off his back.
But Haaland’s revenge act meant Szoboszlai could not prevent the ball going into Liverpool’s net. VAR had to intervene.
Sometimes, even when they are right — like Pawson — refs are “wrong”. And it’s really not their fault.
Erling Haaland’s foul on Dominik Szoboszlai led to the ruling out of Rayan Cherki’s goalCredit: GETTY
Romero red missed
Cristian Romero looked in disbelief at ref Michael Oliver when he at on Saturday.
For a man who called out the Spurs board a few days earlier, cutting his own side off at the knees was hardly the smart play.
Romero may feel he is targeted and after Virgil van Dijk only got a yellow for his scythe on , you do wonder if different standards apply.
At the same time, it’s hard to believe Argentina star Romero would have made the same tackle wearing the blue-and-white stripes of his homeland.
Still, a four-game ban when the matches are coming thick and fast will leave the Spurs skipper with more in the tank for the World Cup.
Cristian Romero was sent off for a horror tackle on CaemiroCredit: EPA
Cunning as a Fox
Leicester spent three years arguing that neither the Premier League nor had the right to punish them for financial breaches as they moved between the competitions every summer.
But to then claim they only deserved a fine and should get credit for “exceptional cooperation” was the height of chutzpah.
Lawyers will argue black is white if it serves their purposes.
At last, a glaring loophole has been closed.
The Foxes are lucky the total sanction is a six-point deduction this season — and no fine.
At least the Leicester fans get it, even if owner Top Srivaddhanaprabha doesn’t.
Leicester City have been slapped with a six-point points deductionCredit: GETTY
He’s Soo exciting
Contests that pit ‘men’ against boys normally end only one way.
But not Friday’s World Under-19 cricket final in Zimbabwe.
England — led superbly by Somerset’s Thomas Rew — crushed all six rivals before facing an Indian schoolboy genius.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi doesn’t turn 15 until next month, but his 175 off 80 balls — with 15 sixes and as many fours — pretty much finished it in 25 overs.
No wonder he scored his first IPL ton only a month past his 14th birthday last year.
Tendulkar, Kohli and next Sooryavanshi. Watch out, the “Boss Baby” could do this for 25 years.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi battled brilliantly against England in India’s World Under-19 cricket final in ZimbabweCredit: GETTY
RIP the Super League
Here lieth the 2021-2026.
Born on a Sunday in April. Placed into an induced coma by the biggest fan backlash of all time three days later.
Put out of its misery by Barcelona withdrawing on Saturday — leaving Real Madrid, of course, alone.
A scheme of pure greed. Rest in Pieces.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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