'Disrespectful, classless' Arne Slot started Liverpool's downfall with his mid-season Ibiza holiday with Wayne Lineker, claims Paul Scholes

Paul Scholes has suggested that Liverpool 's Premier League title-winning hangover started not this season, but during the last campaign - on the heels of head coach Arne Slot 's surprise trip to Ibiza.

The Reds stole a march on their competition as they romped home to claim the league at the end of April, with games in hand when a video of the head coach partying at Wayne Lineker's O Beach club on the Spanish party isle emerged on social media.

With little to play for beyond personal pride, Liverpool lost against Brighton and drew to Crystal Palace on the final day of the season before lifting the trophy at Anfield.

This term has proved far more challenging for Slot and Co, who find themselves in a sticky run of poor form with eight defeats in their last 11 outings in all competitions.

On Sunday, the hosts were thumped 3-0 by formerly relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest on Merseyside, with the Tricky Trees recording back-to-back wins at the ground for the first time since 1963.

But as the Dutch manager attempts to reverse the rot, Scholes explained the somewhat left-field reasoning for the side's decline on his podcast The Good, The Bad, and The Football with former Manchester United team-mate Nicky Butt.

Paul Scholes has suggested that Arne Slot's mid-season trip to Ibiza has prompted Liverpool's steep decline

The head coach took in the party isle - and O Beach club - after winning the title last spring

'I think this started towards the end of last season, do you remember when they won the league?' Scholes asked Butt.

'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.'

Slot was captured at the notorious beach haunt sipping a drink from behind the DJ booth, with dancers holding up cards that spelled out 'Champions!' to the tune of Queen's 'We are the Champions'.

The head coach rubbed shoulders with other notable patrons including Eastenders star Dean Gaffney, and posed for photos with fans.

Slot later sang along to songs from the DJ booth, including football favourite 'Freed From Desire'.

While the 47-year-old enjoyed his time the Balearics, members of his squad travelled to Dubai to celebrate their success in a similar fashion.

The 47-year-old blew off steam in the company of Eastenders star Dean Gaffney in Ibiza

Slot was welcomed by Wayne Lineker before he returned to England to fail to win either of the club's last two matches

But this season Liverpool have had a far more torrid time of it, losing their last eight in 11 ties

Following defeat to Forest, Slot was keen to shoulder the lions' share of the blame for Liverpool languishing 12th in the Premier League standings.

'I want to emphasise I am responsible for the current losses,' he said after the final whistle. ‘You are responsible when you are winning but also responsible when you are losing.

'I can never come up with enough excuses for us to have the results we have. That is far from good enough and I am responsible for that.

‘It is my responsibility if we win or lose. What I also see is the team – and the fans stayed until the end – keep on trying until the end.'