On "The Good, The Bad, and The Football" podcast, Scholes referenced a social media video showing Slot at Wayne Lineker's O Beach Club – owned by the brother of English football legend Gary Lineker – on Ibiza. The video depicted Slot drinking and standing behind the DJ booth, celebrating the Premier League championship.

"In my opinion, this started at the end of last season. They became champions and immediately went to Ibiza. Arne Slot was DJing before the season concluded. I found that disrespectful and tasteless," the former Manchester United midfielder stated.

Coach Arne Slot (in white shirt) celebrating the Premier League championship in Ibiza at the end of the 2024-2025 season.

During the 2024-2025 season, Slot led Liverpool to secure the championship four rounds early. Consequently, the Dutch coach began celebrating before the season officially ended. In Ibiza, a renowned Spanish resort, Slot was seen behind the DJ booth with dancers holding "Champions!" signs, while "We Are The Champions" played. He also interacted with fans and posed for photos with celebrities like actor Dean Gaffney. Some Liverpool first-team members also opted for private celebrations in Dubai at that time.

Following the celebrations, Liverpool lost to Brighton and drew with Crystal Palace in their final two matches before lifting the trophy at Anfield. Scholes argued that the issue extended beyond a premature celebration; it signaled a lax mindset among both the coaching staff and players. The English former player suggested that visiting such party venues before the season concluded created a negative image and could affect the team's focus. "That's not what you should do when you still have unfinished business," he asserted.

This season, the problem became more evident as Liverpool lost 8 of their last 11 matches across all competitions. Last weekend, Slot's team suffered a shocking 0-3 defeat to second-to-last Nottingham Forest at Anfield, dropping them into the bottom half of the Premier League table. They became the fourth reigning champions to incur six or more defeats in their first 12 rounds, following Blackburn (1995-1996), Chelsea (2015-2016), and Leicester (2016-2017).

Coach Arne Slot during a press conference before Liverpool's match against PSV in the fifth round of the Champions League on 25/11. Photo: EPA

During a press conference before the PSV Champions League match, Slot admitted that he and his players did not expect to be in this challenging situation. "This is surprising for the club, for me, for everyone. But if we have to face it, this is the best place, because the more difficult it gets, the more united we must be to strive for the standards Liverpool has always achieved," he stated.

Amid Liverpool's decline and mounting pressure, Slot declined to attend the Northern Football Writers' Association (NFWA) awards ceremony, despite being named Coach of the Year. He also denied being complacent after winning the Premier League title in his debut season. "I cannot say 'I have won' and think that's it," the Dutch coach stressed. "At this level, the next match is always the most important. I have to prove myself to myself, to the players, to everyone at the club, and to the fans."