Former Liverpool midfielder Igor Biscan believes Arne Slot remains safe as manager of the Premier League champions
Xabi Alonso was linked with the Liverpool role before Arne Slot's appointment
Xabi Alonso was linked with the Liverpool role before Arne Slot's appointment(Image: Photo by Jörg Schüler/Bayer 04 Leverkusen via Getty Images)
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Former Liverpool midfielder Igor Biscan has dismissed suggestions Arne Slot could be sacked as Anfield boss after a poor defence of their Premier League title. And the Champions League winner is convinced Alexander Isak can write a "different story" after a hugely disappointing start to his Reds career.
Liverpool have seen their hopes of retaining the championship effectively ended by a dreadful spell of six defeats in seven Premier League games that was extended by a dire 3-0 loss at home to lowly Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon.
That run has intensified the scrutiny on Slot with the Dutchman now third-favourite to be the next Premier League boss to be sacked behind Daniel Farke of Leeds United and Fulham's Marco Silva.
But Biscan believes Slot has already proven himself capable of handling difficult situations after succeeding Jurgen Klopp as boss 18 months ago.
"There is pressure, but for every manager at that level, there is always pressure," he said. "I don't think his job is in question. Even if he doesn’t win the league, just by doing what he did last year, after what happened before he arrived and how difficult his job was, it was exceptional.
"Everybody was saying it would be extremely difficult for him to really continue what Jurgen Klopp had done before him.
"He is a quality manager, and he deserves a lot of credit and he needs time. There are so many new players, and you need time to make them work together. I'm really sure that they will start winning again very soon."
Xabi Alonso was among those linked with replacing Klopp before Slot's appointment. And Biscan wouldn't be surprised if his former team-mate returns to Anfield in the dugout in future years.
"Xabi Alonso as Liverpool manager? I think that's always a possibility if he keeps on doing what he's doing, and be successful and make a difference," he said.
"Whenever you watch his teams, they are doing so well, they have a clear structure, and the quality is always there. Who wouldn't want to have a manager like him?"
Isak has had a nightmare spell at Liverpool since arriving from Newcastle United for a British record £125million in September, his struggles for fitness exacerbating poor form that has seen him score just once in nine outings and prompted another early substitution at the weekend.
But Biscan said: "Which team would not have wanted to sign Alexander Isak at the beginning of the season? I don't think there is any team, any manager, any set of fans who would say ‘No, no, we don't like him. We don't believe that he will be good enough for our team’.
"He's a special player. He's a top-class centre-forward, like everybody knows. And yeah, he missed pre-season and then the lack of match fitness, sharpness, for sure, takes away a bit of your ability."
Speaking to BOYLE Sports, who offer the latest Premier League betting, Biscan added: "But it's the same situation like what we said about Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk, you know, the quality is there. And there is for sure quality. It's always been there. It's just a matter of time before he starts scoring.
"It's just a matter of getting into the right rhythm, scoring some goals, and then again, a little bit of this momentum back. And the whole team needs that, and when this happens, then we will see a different story."