Just a few weeks ago, serious questions were being asked about Arne Slot’s position. Performances were inconsistent. Results were frustrating. Some fans — myself included — wondered whether he had lost the dressing room.
Last night didn’t look like a team that has stopped playing for its manager.
It looked like the opposite.
The reaction after the Manchester City defeat at the weekend only intensified the scrutiny. The performance lacked sharpness, the body language raised questions, and criticism grew louder across social media and among pundits. Some supporters openly wondered whether the squad had stopped responding to Slot’s ideas. That defeat felt like a potential turning point — but not in a positive way. Which is exactly why the response against Sunderland mattered so much.
Commitment and Character
Against a Sunderland side unbeaten at home, Liverpool fought for every ball. The intensity was there. The organisation was there. The response to pressure was there.
Teams that have downed tools don’t perform like that.
Leaders Stepping Up
Virgil van Dijk scoring the winner wasn’t just a footballing moment — it was a statement. Leaders don’t drag a fractured squad to victory. They drag a united one.
The body language, the celebrations, the work rate — it all suggested a squad still fully behind its coach.
Big Calls Backed Up
Slot’s decision to trust Endo at right-back was bold. It paid off. Players responded to the responsibility given to them.
Even the reaction to Endo’s injury — teammates immediately showing concern — reflected unity.
Narrative Shift?
One result doesn’t fix everything. But it does challenge the idea that the manager has lost the dressing room.
If anything, last night suggested the opposite: the players are still fighting for him.
And if Liverpool can build momentum from here, the recent doubts may quickly fade into the background.
The Kopite View 
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