Liverpool manager Arne Slot faces dismissal if he fails to secure Champions League qualification this season, according to pundit Paul Merson.
The Dutchman is under mounting scrutiny following a difficult Premier League title defence that has left his side lingering outside the top four.
Having guided the Merseyside club to the top-flight crown in his debut season, expectations were exceptionally high after succeeding Jurgen Klopp.
However, despite an estimated summer outlay exceeding £400m, the reigning champions have regressed significantly on the pitch.
Champions League imperative
The Anfield outfit have suffered nine league defeats and drawn a further six matches this term.
While domestic and European cup avenues remain open, Merson believes financial regulations make top-tier European football non-negotiable.
“If he won the FA Cup, but didn’t finish in Champions League positions it wouldn’t make any difference at all,” Merson told Sky Sports.
“I think Liverpool have got to get in the Champions League with the financial fair play rule.”
Spurs quip highlights pressure
Missing out on the premier European competition would severely impact the club’s ability to recruit top-quality talent.
Integrating new high-profile additions has proven challenging amidst the intense pressure of defending a domestic title.
“He will have to get in the top four, I would have thought, otherwise he might be the next Tottenham manager,” Merson added.
Manager remains defiant
Despite the external noise, the 46-year-old insists he is not concerned about his immediate job security.
The former Eredivisie coach pointed to their progression in both the FA Cup and European competition as evidence of ongoing ambition.
“This season, I think it’s safe to say and fair to say that this season has been much more of a struggle than last season,” Slot admitted.
“But still, we are able to win things. I think we’ve got a squad that has shown this season already that we’ve improved.”
Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin has won her eighth World Cup slalom of the season in Åre, Sweden, equaling the single-season record and extending her overall lead on Sunday.
The American star dominated the final race before the World Cup Finals to beat Germany’s Emma Aicher by 0.94 seconds.
Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener finished a further second off the pace to claim third place on the podium.
Overall title battle intensifies
This crucial victory provides much-needed breathing room in the ongoing battle for the crystal globe.
Aicher’s impressive second-place finish marked a career-best slalom result for the German all-rounder.
She now trails the overall leader by 140 points with just four individual discipline races remaining.
“That was really amazing. I was like pretty nervous, pretty excited, but in the end it was challenging to ski,” Shiffrin said.
“I pushed really hard. Quite happy to get to the finish, too.”
Chasing historic milestones
The dominant technician had already secured her ninth slalom globe earlier this year.
This latest triumph perfectly mirrors her own outstanding eight-win slalom campaign from the 2018-19 season.
Croatian great Janica Kostelic is the only other female skier to achieve that remarkable feat a quarter of a century ago.
The unstoppable record-breaker continues to rewrite alpine skiing history on a weekly basis.
She now boasts an astonishing 109 career World Cup victories, including 72 in her premier discipline.
Max Verstappen has warned that the new 2026 Formula 1 regulations will ruin the sport following his frustrating retirement at the Chinese Grand Prix.
The four-time world champion suffered a coolant fault on lap 46 in Shanghai to compound a miserable start to the new racing era.
His premature exit occurred during a dramatic event that saw Kimi Antonelli secure his maiden victory.
George Russell delivered another strong result for Mercedes, while Lewis Hamilton claimed his first podium finish as a Ferrari driver.
Struggles under new regulations
The sweeping 2026 rule changes introduced lighter cars and an equal split between electrical energy and internal combustion power.
These drastic shifts have heavily favoured constructors like Mercedes and Ferrari while leaving Red Bull significantly off the pace.
The 28-year-old had already endured a difficult weekend in China before his retirement, managing only a ninth-place finish in the Sprint event.
He confirmed that Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali is holding talks with Red Bull regarding potential adjustments.
Call for widespread changes
The Dutchman believes a majority of the grid shares his concerns about the long-term viability of the current racing style.
“I think they understand where we are coming from as drivers, and I think I speak for most of the drivers.”
He acknowledged that teams currently enjoying a competitive advantage are naturally reluctant to support immediate alterations.
“But if you just speak to most of the drivers, it’s not what we like,” he added.
Protecting the sport’s future
Formula 1’s leadership faces a delicate balance between maintaining commercial popularity and addressing genuine sporting concerns.
The Red Bull talisman fears that ignoring these underlying issues will eventually damage the global appeal of the championship.
“I hope they don’t think like that, because it will eventually ruin the sport.”
He remains hopeful that ongoing communication between the drivers and the governing bodies will eventually yield a viable solution.
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has made it clear he will only consider returning to management for clubs that prioritise football over commercial interests.
The 58-year-old has been absent from the touchline since leaving Anfield at the end of the 2023-24 season.
He currently serves as the Head of Global Soccer for the Red Bull group.
Despite stepping back from coaching, the German tactician continues to be linked with high-profile dugout returns.
Rejection of commercial giants
Any potential suitor must adhere to his strict philosophy regarding club identity and hierarchy intervention.
The former Borussia Dortmund boss previously revealed that he rejected advances from heavily commercialised teams before arriving on Merseyside.
Manchester United and Real Madrid both reportedly attempted to court his services to no avail.
“I had talks with other clubs and they didn’t sound like a football club.”
Klopp explained when discussing his career choices in 2018.
“It sounded like marketing, image, you need to sign this, you need to sign that. And I thought, ‘Wow, that’s not the game I love’.”
Liverpool’s romantic appeal
During his nine-year tenure with the Reds, he secured both the Premier League and Champions League trophies.
Former striker Robbie Fowler later confirmed that the charismatic coach turned down super-rich teams in favour of a traditional setup.
According to Fowler, the manager appreciated the balance between historical identity and financial ambition at Anfield.
“He hated how they were focused solely on commercial influences.”
Fowler noted regarding the rejected offers from rival European powerhouses.
Future prospects
These core values remain the definitive blueprint for any hierarchy hoping to tempt him back into coaching.
However, the chances of seeing the European Cup winner in an English dugout again appear non-existent.
He explicitly stated upon his departure earlier this year that his deep connection to Liverpool means he will never manage another Premier League side.
Team USA will face the Dominican Republic in a highly anticipated World Baseball Classic semi-final in Miami on Sunday following victories over Canada and Venezuela.
The two tournament heavyweights will meet at 20:00 ET in what many consider the marquee fixture of the global competition.
Reigning champions Japan were surprisingly eliminated by Venezuela on Saturday, leaving the path clear for a new baseball superpower to be crowned.
Star-studded line-ups collide
The projected starting nines for both nations boast an incredible array of talent, featuring a combined 52 All-Star appearances and five Most Valuable Player awards.
American hopes will heavily rely on starting pitcher Paul Skenes, who is widely regarded as one of the best young arms in the sport.
ESPN baseball expert Jeff Passan described the encounter as an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.
“This is a dream matchup. It is a Dominican lineup loaded with All-Stars and MVP candidates and future Hall of Famers against one of the two best pitchers in the world.”Jeff Passan
Tactical battles and bullpen strength
The Caribbean powerhouse brings a fearsome offensive reputation after outscoring four of their previous opponents by a combined margin of 44 runs to five.
However, their strategy against the Americans will likely hinge on elevating Skenes’ pitch count early in the contest.
Forcing USA manager Mark DeRosa to turn to his relief pitchers before the fourth inning could prove decisive.
Should the game remain close, the Dominican side possesses a fully rested and formidable bullpen of their own.
Relievers such as Camilo Doval, Carlos Estevez, and Seranthony Dominguez provide a significant late-game advantage to the 2013 champions.
“The Americans have the starting pitching advantage with Skenes on the mound, but the Dominican Republic bullpen is stout, and the offense won’t be shut down all night long.”Jorge Castillo
Real Madrid are navigating a club-versus-country dispute regarding Kylian Mbappe’s fitness ahead of their Champions League second leg against Manchester City.
The French forward has been sidelined with a knee injury since the end of February but has recently returned to full training.
Los Blancos hold a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg and must decide whether to risk the 25-year-old at the Etihad Stadium.
Further complicating the medical timeline is a looming domestic derby against Atletico Madrid and upcoming international friendlies for France.
Commercial pressures and international duty
The Spanish giants are reportedly reluctant to release their star attacker for the national team’s transatlantic fixtures against Brazil and Colombia.
However, the World Cup winner remains the French Football Federation’s most significant commercial asset and is widely expected to be called up.
Sponsorship obligations add further complexity, as Nike supplies kits for both France and Brazil ahead of a high-profile exhibition match in Boston.
Governing regulations dictate that the La Liga club cannot block an international call-up unless the player is officially ruled out through injury.
Tactical dilemmas for Arbeloa
If the former Paris St-Germain striker features against either Manchester City or Atletico Madrid, his club will lose the medical grounds to withdraw him from national duty.
Submitting a medical report verifying his ongoing recovery would grant him a 10-day rehabilitation period, which would conveniently rule him out of the United States tour.
Head coach Alvaro Arbeloa provided a cautious update on the forward’s rehabilitation prior to a recent domestic victory over Elche.
“His development is progressing as it should and we have made a plan,” stated Arbeloa.
“He won’t be available tomorrow, but I expect he will travel to Manchester.”
Domestic momentum builds
With a substantial three-goal advantage over Pep Guardiola’s side, the European heavyweights may opt against taking unnecessary medical risks in England.
Their recent emphatic 4-1 win over Elche successfully closed the gap to just a single point behind league leaders Barcelona.
Meanwhile, their English opponents endured a frustrating domestic draw at West Ham, highlighting contrasting fortunes ahead of the crucial European encounter.
Arsenal have been informed they must break the British transfer record and pay £130m to sign Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez this summer.
Mikel Arteta is seeking further attacking reinforcements despite his side currently sitting nine points clear at the Premier League summit.
The Gunners recently secured a 2-0 victory over Everton to leave them in a commanding domestic position with just seven games remaining.
However, the Spanish manager has identified the 26-year-old World Cup winner as his primary target for the upcoming season.
Atletico demand premium fee
The Argentine international only moved to the Spanish capital in the summer of 2024.
He has since established himself as a vital component in Diego Simeone’s starting lineup.
The La Liga club are reluctant to sell their prized asset and are reportedly preparing a new contract offer.
They have subsequently placed a €150m (£130m) valuation on the former Manchester City striker to deter potential suitors.
London return appeals to forward
Barcelona have also registered an interest in the prolific attacker, but the Catalan club cannot meet the current asking price.
Recent reports suggest the South American would be highly receptive to a Premier League return if his valuation is met.
It is understood that a move to London is his preferred option, placing the league leaders in a strong position.
Contact has been made to find out if he would be open to joining, and the answer was a firm yes.
Adding pedigree to the attack
Current leading goalscorer Viktor Gyokeres has impressed this season, but doubts remain over his long-term stylistic fit at Emirates Stadium.
Securing a player of such proven pedigree would represent a massive statement of intent from the north London club.
The two-time Premier League champion boasts exceptional technical quality and already possesses crucial experience of English football.
While the required fee is unprecedented, acquiring a player entering his prime years could cement Arsenal’s status among Europe’s elite.
Reigning constructors’ champions McLaren suffered a disastrous start to the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday as both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri failed to make the grid due to separate technical issues.
The Woking-based outfit rushed to prepare their machinery for lights out in Shanghai, but reigning world champion Norris was unable to leave the pit lane following a suspected electronics failure.
Moments later, heartbreak struck his Australian team-mate, who was forced back into the garage less than 10 minutes before the formation lap after engineers discovered an undisclosed problem.
Early struggles in the 2026 season
These pre-race failures compound a miserable opening to the brand-new 2026 technical regulations for the Papaya team.
Piastri previously recorded a non-start at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix after crashing his vehicle on the way to the grid.
Meanwhile, his British counterpart could only manage a fifth-place finish in Melbourne while rivals Mercedes and Ferrari dominated the podium places.
Shattered podium hopes
The double withdrawal comes as a bitter blow after the squad had shown significant pace and progress throughout the weekend in China.
Both drivers successfully locked out the third row of the grid during qualifying, trailing the Ferraris of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc by just two-tenths of a second.
They had also accumulated eight valuable points during the Sprint event, finishing comfortably ahead of Mercedes title hopeful Kimi Antonelli.
Addressing the disastrous turn of events, the team released a brief update confirming their ongoing investigations into the dual failures.
“Unfortunately, we identified separate issues on both cars which prevented them from starting the Chinese GP, with Oscar’s being removed from the grid shortly before the formation lap. We will now work to identify the issue.”
McLaren Official Statement
Four cars miss the lights
The reigning constructors’ champions were not the only competitors to suffer severe pre-race reliability woes on Sunday.
Audi driver Gabriel Bortoleto encountered mechanical trouble on the grid, forcing his mechanics to push the car back to the garage with 15 minutes remaining until the formation lap.
Williams racer Alex Albon completed the quartet of non-starters, failing to emerge from the pit lane after taking his car out of Parc Fermé conditions to rectify ongoing balance issues.