Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher explained his worrying theory about his former club after their slump continued with an embarrassing 4-1 defeat by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League
Jamie Carragher
Jamie Carragher went on a passionate rant after Liverpool's defeat by PSV
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Jamie Carragher says Arne Slot's position as Liverpool manager is getting closer to becoming untenable but has laid the blame for their dreadful form squarely at the feet of the players. Liverpool made it nine defeats from their last 12 matches and three straight losses by three goals when they were thrashed by PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday night.
Pressure has ramped up on Slot after the 3-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest was followed by a 4-1 reverse at Anfield against PSV in the Champions League. Mirror Football understands that his job is safe for the time being, but their awful form means that might not be the case for long.
Carragher went on a lengthy and passionate rant post-match in which he called on Liverpool's players to "step up" because Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah - their heroes of recent years - are no longer performing at the same level.
"Liverpool is not a sacking club," Carragher said on CBS. "Liverpool are different from almost every club in European football where the manager is the king. They get time. Liverpool have never sacked a manager who won the league. Never, in their history - after a few years, they've gone and resigned.
"I couldn't believe at the weekend that people were talking about the manager's job, when I spoke to Liverpool supporters after losing at home to Nottingham Forest. It's only going to amplify now.
"I've always been in the camp of you stick with the manager. I'm really angry with the players, if I'm being honest. But it does get to a stage, with any manager at any club, where I always use this word 'untenable', where it can't go on any longer. I'm not quite there yet, personally, in terms of the manager, but I know a lot of supporters will be.
Arne Slot
Liverpool were thumped again vs PSV on Wednesday evening
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"I've had a lot of time to think about it, because I knew the game was over well before the final whistle. I think what you're seeing now: Liverpool in 2018 under [Jurgen] Klopp starts this journey of being a great time and then Slot comes in. Now we're seven or eight years later. The catalyst for Liverpool at the start of that run was Alisson, Van Dijk and Salah.
"Alisson is injured a lot now so he doesn't play so much. But you're watching Van Dijk now - not the same player. And Mo Salah looks like his legs have gone. I don't like criticising them and I think some of the criticism of them this season as players has been harsh.
"You always look for your leaders to step up when it's not going well. I've been critical of Mo Salah off the pitch. I wanted him to come out and do an interview tonight and speak to the Liverpool supporters about what the players are going to do, what is going on in the dressing room, to give the supporters hope they'll improve.
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool at Etihad Stadium on November 9, 2025 in Manchester, England.
Mohamed Salah's performance levels have dipped this season
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"But I don't like criticising them on the pitch because they're absolute legends for what they've done and they're legs have just gone, especially with Salah. Van Dijk now can't help other players. He needs help himself. And that just means he's a normal centre-back, like I was at one stage. And maybe he's not super-human right now.
"But they've been that good for the football club that I look at some of the others: step up! Can you only play well when they play well, or when they carry you? Their seasons last season were off the scale and everyone else enjoyed that, winning the league - they're all league champions and they've got that on their CV and great. But when they're not there, where are the others?
"So that's why I get angry talking about the manager. But it's inevitable and something could happen. But in terms of the players and the way they're performing now, that's not acceptable for Liverpool Football Club. And I actually think - and I thought a little bit last season - are some of them good enough if Liverpool want to win the biggest trophies? We saw them at Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, against PSG away from home last season - woeful performances, and they've been carried by some of the greatest players the club have ever had.
"This is maybe a snapshot of the future of Liverpool when Mo Salah moves on, Virgil van Dijk moves on and Alisson moves on."
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