The impossible job no longer looks quite as daunting.

Barring a miraculous turn of events, Arne Slot, the man identified by Liverpool as the perfect successor to Jurgen Klopp, won’t be taking over the Premier League champions.

Instead the current Feyenoord manager looks set to inherit a squad who are limping towards the consolation prize of Champions League qualification to accompany their Carabao Cup triumph.



The array of empty seats in the away end when the final whistle sounded was both stark and understandable.

Jarrod Bowen, Johan Bakayoko, and Arne Slot wildcard – potential Mohamed Salah replacements for Liverpool	New mural on display of Jurgen Klopp in Liverpool	Liverpool legend Graeme Souness believes Mohamed Salah is ‘off’ in the summer

“I think everyone has to ask if they really gave everything and do they really want to win the league?” said captain Virgil van Dijk, who bemoaned them “not winning challenges” and wasting chances “we should have scored from”.

Rather than unleashing a flurry of fist pumps, there was an apology from a downbeat Klopp to the supporters for the paucity of what had been served up.

So vulnerable at one end, so toothless at the other.

Jurgen Klopp was in downbeat mood (Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

There was an alarming naivety to Liverpool as they conceded a succession of cheap free-kicks and allowed themselves to be bullied as Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin both punished dreadful defending from set-pieces.

Their firepower has enabled Klopp’s side to dig themselves out of numerous holes when they have fallen behind this season but that ability has waned with Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah hopelessly out of form.

If, as expected, Slot takes over, he has some big decisions to make alongside new sporting director Richard Hughes.

Is Nunez really the No 9 capable of taking Liverpool where they want to be?

For a start, Liverpool won nine of their next 10 matches.

For one thing, Klopp’s staff needed to know where they stood in terms of the future.

Rewind to last August and after such a turbulent summer, most Liverpool supporters would have gleefully accepted a season a trophy and a top-four finish.

But expectation levels rocketed after a flying start and once Klopp made his intentions clear, landing the big prize became an energy-sapping obsession.

Three weeks ago Liverpool beat Sheffield United 3-1 to move two points clear of their rivals with eight games to go.