Arne Slot’s position as Liverpool manager is under increased scrutiny after a run of six defeats from seven league matchesplaceholder image
Arne Slot’s position as Liverpool manager is under increased scrutiny after a run of six defeats from seven league matches | Getty Images
Arne Slot’s position as Liverpool manager is under increased scrutiny after a run of six defeats from seven league matches
Liverpool’s disappointing second season under Arne Slot went from bad to worse at the weekend as the champions fell to a demoralising 3-0 home defeat to Sean Dyche’s relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest team. It marked the club’s sixth league defeat in seven matches and their eighth across all competitions this term, when choosing not to count the Community Shield loss to Crystal Palace in August.
The defeat to Nottingham Forest was notably Liverpool’s joint biggest at Anfield in the Premier League era, equalling the 3-0 loss to West Ham in 2015 and the 4-1 losses to both Chelsea and Manchester City in 2005 and 2021 respectively as questions continue to be asked about Slot and his ability to overcome a crisis.
It was hoped by Liverpool supporters that the November international break would give the team the perfect opportunity to work on any deficiencies in their game and come back refreshed after a difficult run of results and performances. But it seems at the moment that the Reds season is continuing to spiral at a previously unimaginable pace.
The holders at this point, are notably in the bottom half of the table, below the likes of Everton and Manchester United, and at this point are closer to the relegation places than the summit, which is an alarming statistic for a team that spent around £450m on new recruits over the summer.
What’s going wrong for Liverpool?
Jeremie Frimpong hasn’t started a league match since the opening day of the season due to persistent hamstring issues and has struggled to show in his few cameos that he’s capable of replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was so important to Liverpool in terms of their build-up play after making 92 assists in total.
Milos Kerkez also hasn’t hit the ground running since his move from Bournemouth. He’s an all-action attacking minded left-back but this cavalier style has more often than not got his team in trouble at the other end of the pitch. Giovanni Leoni arrived to provide defensive cover, but sustained an ACL injury before even making his league debut, while it’s not yet clear if Giorgi Mamardashvili is truly an upgrade on Caoimhin Kelleher as second choice goalkeeper.
The two biggest disappointments, however, have been Florian Wirtz, signed for £116m, and Alexander Isak, English football’s most expensive footballer, who received a 4/10 rating by Liverpool World after a lethargic attacking display against Nottingham Forest. Neither player has produced a single Premier League goal contribution since arriving at Anfield after nearly a third of the season. For Wirtz it can be said he’s adapting to a new league, but the same sympathy can’t be afforded to Isak.
Other problems include Ibrahima Konate’s dip in form amid concerns around his long-term commitment to the club, the failure to sign Marc Guehi on deadline day, and the effects of age taking their toll on both Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah after signing new deals.
Slot has also spoken publicly about his team’s weakness when it comes to defending long-balls, set pieces and long-throws which is music to the ears of opposing managers, who are trying this sort of tactic more against Liverpool than any other opponent.
Will Liverpool replace Arne Slot?
Slot has plenty of credit in the bank from winning the league by a landslide in his first season. Few expected the transition between him and Jurgen Klopp to go so smoothly and many were impressed by the minor tweaks Liverpool made to their game without making any marquee signings. However, winning the title brings added pressure and expectation, which was only amplified by a record-breaking transfer window.
Managers have been sacked before after winning league titles. Jose Mourinho lost his job at Chelsea midway through the 2015/16 season, Claudio Ranieri departed the following year with Leicester City, while Antonio Conte and Carlo Ancelotti were sacked shortly after their second seasons in charge after winning league titles at Stamford Bridge.
It’s worth noting that Slot’s position is not thought to be under threat any time soon, but Jamie Carragher admitted on Sky Sports, via the Independent, that he doesn’t feel the Dutchman has quite earned the unconditional support Klopp had.
“It’s the nature of the beast, he’s the manager of one of the biggest clubs in the world, but for me there should be no talk or thought of this manager being out of a job this season.”
The bold managerial appointment Liverpool could make if Slot departs
Former Reds boss Klopp has been linked with a stunning return to Anfield if Slot departs. He’s currently the oddsmakers favourite and is naturally a popular option due to his affiliation with the club.
Klopp is the club’s best manager since the 1980s and boasts an incredible record with the club. He also hinted at a possible return on the Diary of CEO podcast, when he said: "I said I would never coach a different team in England. So that means if, (I did return to England) then it’s Liverpool. Yeah, theoretically it’s possible."
However, it’s worth noting that Klopp also said he doesn’t appear miss being in management. The German also said he left Liverpool due to fatigue and no longer felt he had the energy for the job. It seems far from a formality that Klopp would return, meaning Liverpool would need to assess alternatives if they are to make a brutal Slot call in the foreseeable future.
One name that could make sense as a potential target is Oliver Glasner. The Crystal Palace boss has long been a thorn in Liverpool’s side having beaten them in the Community Shield, League Cup and Premier League already this season. He’s been in the Premier League since February 2024 and has transformed Palace from a team treading water under Roy Hodgson to one with aspirations of qualifying for Europe in each season despite nearly always losing at least one important player in each transfer window.
Glasner equalled Palace’s highest points tally in his first full season and ended their 120-year-wait for a major trophy by overcoming Manchester City in the FA Cup. He’s a shrewd tactician with an excellent track record in the transfer window and also boasts an impressive record in Europe after also guiding Frankfurt to Europa League glory in 2022 - ending a 42-year-wait for a European honour.
The Austrian will be out of contract at the end of the season and there is uncertainty about the 51-year-old's future at the club, meaning the Anfield side also wouldn’t have to pay any compensation. BBC Sport reports that Glasner was offered a new deal earlier this summer, but he has yet to sign the contract.
"We've had some early conversations," Parish told Talksport. "We would love to keep Oliver, we're building something. I think for Oliver it's about the conditions being right."
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