Liverpool have seven games remaining in their Premier League season and plenty remains up in the air, including contracts, top five and Arne Slot‘s future.
The season has been long and arduous for Liverpool, but the final months of the campaign still see the Reds in the Champions League and FA Cup.
It will all come to a head soon after the international break, with meetings against PSG, Man City and the final seven league games, leaving plenty for an inconsistent Liverpool to contend for.
There remain a lot of question marks over the head coach and several of his players, and these are just some of the queries in the minds of supporters.
When will Arne Slot’s future be decided?
It has been far from the second season Slot would have dreamt of after lifting the Premier League trophy, having overseen 15 defeats and seven draws from 47 games.
The pressure has been mounting and, in the eyes of many, the draw against Tottenham was the final straw, but reports continue to maintain that parting ways with the Dutchman while the season is ongoing is a non-starter.
A review will take place after the season, as it does every year, and that is when a decision will be needed, as Slot will also be entering the final year of his contract.
Several Premier League clubs will be on the hunt for a new manager in the summer, and if Liverpool are to join them, they cannot delay a decision.
When are the injured players back?
Liverpool Injury & Absentee List
| Player | Injury Type | Expected Return |
|---|---|---|
| Federico Chiesa | Fitness | Man City (A) |
| Hugo Ekitike | Dead leg | Man City (A) |
| Mo Salah | Muscle | Man City (A) |
| Alisson | Muscle | April |
| Alexander Isak | Fibula Fracture | PSG (A) |
| Wataru Endo | Ankle | June |
| Conor Bradley | Knee | Pre-season |
| Giovanni Leoni | ACL | Pre-season |
| Stefan Bajcetic | Hamstring | April |
| Jayden Danns | Hamstring | Unknown |
Liverpool added more names to their injury list before the defeat at Brighton, with Mo Salah and Alisson both sustaining issues during or after the win over Galatasaray.
The goalkeeper revealed he will be “out for a while” with a muscle issue, which suggests he will not return in time for the FA Cup clash at Man City, for Salah is also in doubt.
Some good news is that Slot expects to include Alexander Isak in his squad to face PSG. The striker will not be in starting contention but the Champions League tie will herald his comeback.
Hugo Ekitike, meanwhile, reported for France duty as normal after his dead leg, and Federico Chiesa could still be involved in the first game back despite his withdrawal from Italy’s squad.
Will Ibrahima Konate or Andy Robertson get new contracts?
As was the case last year, we head into the final weeks of the campaign with uncertainty over the futures of Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson.
Both will become free agents in the summer, but a recent report states that talks with Konate are ongoing and “constructive,” with all parties seeking an agreement.
Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have been linked to the No. 5, but the Athletic‘s David Ornstein says there “is still a will” to strike an agreement.
It is quieter on the Robertson front, but the vice-captain did insist that, “I’ll be committed until I’m no longer needed,” and that the decision will not be withheld once it is made.
Liverpool announced deals for Virgil van Dijk and Salah last April, which could prove true again.
Who will replace Mo Salah?
The big news of the break is that Salah will leave at the end of the season, bringing nine trophy-laden years to a close.
It comes after his explosive comments in December that he was being thrown under the bus, with him and the club reaching an agreement that will allow him to leave on a free transfer.
The topic of his successor has been discussed for years, but Liverpool can put it off no longer.
Michael Olise would be an ideal candidate, but he is deemed unsellable by Bayern Munich, and PSG’s Bradley Barcola is another to be linked, though he has predominantly played on the left wing.
RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande is a name that has been linked by a number of reporters, with the 19-year-old proving a success in Germany with 11 goals and eight assists.
How many points are needed from the remaining 7 games to secure top 5?
Premier League Table: Top 8
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 31 | +39 | 70 |
| 2 | Man City | 30 | +32 | 61 |
| 3 | Man United | 31 | +13 | 55 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 31 | +5 | 54 |
| 5 | LIVERPOOL | 31 | +8 | 49 |
| 6 | Chelsea | 31 | +15 | 48 |
| 7 | Brentford | 31 | +4 | 46 |
| 8 | Everton | 31 | +2 | 46 |
* Table correct as of Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
With seven games left in the season, Liverpool currently occupies fifth position, which is almost certain to be enough for Champions League qualification.
They are, however, only one point above Chelsea, and only three ahead of Brentford and Everton – the latter of whom have both amassed more points than the Reds in the last four games.
Historically, 66-68 points secures fifth spot, meaning Liverpool would need 17 points from an available 21 (2.42 PPG). In their last seven, they have amassed only 10.
It means Slot’s side would require five wins and two draws from their remaining games, which sees them face the likes of Everton (A), Man United (A), Chelsea (H), Aston Villa (A) and Brentford (H).
With games against their close rivals, their fate is all but in their own hands.
Why haven’t we heard anything about Wataru Endo’s injury?
The silence surrounding Wataru Endo‘s injury has been peculiar, with updates on the midfielder provided only by Japan.
He underwent surgery on his left ankle last month, and the plan is for him to return in time to represent his country at the World Cup, which all but rules him out for the remainder of the season.
The tournament kicks off on June 11, meaning he has less than three months to prove his fitness.
Endo enters the final year of his Liverpool contract this summer, and it remains to be seen if he has played his last game for the club, having featured sporadically under Slot this season.
Will Richard Hughes leave post as Liverpool’s sporting director?
Richard Hughes has been strongly linked to Al-Hilal, though reports have maintained that there has yet been contact between Liverpool’s sporting director and the Saudi side.
The club will not want to lose the Scot, who only arrived in 2024, having overseen quite the turnover at sporting director level in recent years, with Michael Edwards (2016-2022), Julian Ward (2022-2023) and Jorg Schmadtke (2023-2024) all taking on the role.
Hughes, like Slot and Edwards, though, is only contracted at Anfield until 2027, and owners FSG have big decisions looming about the future direction of the club.
There’s every chance he departs, but that could have quite the knock-on effect on Liverpool’s summer plans, in a World Cup year, no less.
What happens to the 2026 summer budget if Champions League is missed?
There is no question that Liverpool’s squad needs investing in heavily again this summer, and failing to qualify for the Champions League would be a blow to that.
Liverpool could stand to lose “around £120 million” according to financial expert Kieran Maguire, via the BBC, but the club would not have any issue complying with financial rules.
Irrespective of the money, however, attracting players may take a hit if they fail to qualify, though Liverpool did sign Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch when the Europa League beckoned.