"That's disrespectful" - Paul Scholes slams Arne Slot for 'classless' incident that has led to Liverpool's decline in form

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has suggested that Liverpool’s ‘bad form started’ on the back of head coach Arne Slot’s visit to Ibiza, Spain, before the end of their Premier League title-winning season.

Liverpool were confirmed as 2024-25 Premier League champions in April after a dominant 5-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in Anfield. However, after their 2-2 draw with Arsenal in May, Slot jetted off to Ibiza and was spotted partying at the famous O Beach Club, owned by Gary Lineker’s brother Wayne.

Liverpool didn’t win any of their last two league games of last season, as they lost to Brighton & Hove Albion in their penultimate match and drew with Crystal Palace on the final day of the season—a period Scholes believes marked the start of their downfall.

The Reds did start the current campaign strongly, but their performances wavered as the season progressed, and they currently sit 12th in the Premier League table. Speaking on The Good, The Bad, and The Football, Scholes hit out at Slot for his trip to Ibiza before the season ended, calling it ‘disrespectful.’

"I think this started towards the end of last season, do you remember when they won the league? The bad form started, they went away, went to Ibiza or something. Honestly, Arne Slot was DJing. DJing in Ibiza. But that’s before the season’s done, that’s what I mean. I think that’s disrespectful, before the season’s done. I think it’s classless," Scholes said.

Liverpool’s decline in form reached a crescendo in their last outing, where they fell to a shock 3-0 defeat to a relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest on Saturday at Anfield. The defeat equaled their biggest home defeat in Premier League’s history, having lost to the same scoreline to West Ham in 2015, 4-1 to Chelsea (2005) and Manchester City (2021).

“Something I did expect to be in” – Liverpool boss Arne Slot feels sorry for ‘ridiculous’ form ahead of PSV clash

Arne Slot has described his team's dip in form as ‘ridiculous’ and ‘unbelievable’ ahead of their UEFA Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven. Speaking in a press conference ahead of Wednesday’s match, Slot said of their terrible form:

"I would describe it as ridiculous, almost. Something I did not expect to be in. Not at any club I was going to work at, let alone Liverpool. That is unbelievable. If you can find an excuse, you will never find enough excuses to make you perform like this. Unexpected for the club, for me and everyone.

"But I am working at a club where if you need to face it, this is the best club to face it. The harder it gets at a club like this, the more we are together to achieve the things Liverpool usually achieve."

Slot’s side have obviously been plagued by defensive issues, with shotstopper Alisson Becker unable to stop consecutive three-goal concessions for the first time since 1965 after their loss to Manchester City and Forest. Defensive duo Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate have also seen their leadership questioned.