Arne Slot may feel uncomfortable after the attention drawn to Pepijn Lijnders for his behavior on the touchline during the clash between Manchester City and Liverpool FC.

Pepijn Lijnders inflicted one of the toughest moments of Arne Slot’s time in charge of Liverpool FC this season.

With Pep Guardiola serving a touchline ban, his assistant took charge of Manchester City and was seen celebrating passionately as his team comfortably outplayed Liverpool in the FA Cup. The 4-0 victory secured City a place in the semi-finals.

Lijnders’ animated celebrations were particularly striking given his past under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, making the moment feel even more painful for the Reds. Reports from Daily Mail noted he was visibly jubilant on the touchline, especially after Antoine Semenyo made it 3-0.

From Liverpool’s perspective, the performance raised serious concerns. Conceding early and offering little response left Slot’s side looking flat, and the manner of the defeat only intensified the scrutiny on him. The situation was made worse by the fact that it was Guardiola’s assistant—not the manager himself—overseeing such a dominant display.

Scenes of fans leaving early and the team’s lack of fight have only added to the growing doubts. Unlike past struggles under Klopp, this dip doesn’t appear to be down to injuries but rather a deeper issue with mentality and intensity.

As a result, questions are mounting over whether Slot is the right man to lead a rebuild, with some feeling that more than minor adjustments are needed to restore Liverpool’s standards.