Jermaine Pennant has launched a blistering attack on Arne Slot following Liverpool's frustrating 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Anfield, with the former Red questioning both the manager's tactics and the team's direction.

Liverpool started brightly and deservedly took the lead through Ryan Gravenberch, but once Chelsea equalised before half-time, the performance unraveled into another passive, disjointed display that left fans fuming at the final whistle.

The ex-Liverpool winger, reacting on X, argued that excuses can no longer mask what he sees as an alarming decline under the Dutchman. "Enough of the excuses now," Pennant wrote. "Yes, injuries don't help, but every team has injuries. Slot cannot be the manager next season because this style of football is not Liverpool."

That criticism reflects growing frustration among sections of the fanbase after another poor result against a struggling opponent. Chelsea arrived at Anfield having lost six consecutive Premier League matches, yet still looked the more composed side for long periods after equalising.

Pennant then doubled down with a brutal assessment: "Lost to Man United twice, Man City twice, failed to beat Chelsea twice. I'm thinking this guy is a fraud and last season was luck."

Interestingly, Pennant placed most of the blame on Slot rather than the players themselves, insisting the squad are simply carrying out instructions from the coaching staff. "The players are trying and working, but working to Slot's instructions and style," he added.

For Liverpool supporters who remember the club's relentless, high-intensity identity under previous regimes, the current approach feels like a stark departure—and one that's becoming harder to defend with each passing week.