Jamie Carragher has suggested that Arne Slot's tenure as Liverpool manager is nearing a critical point, but he squarely places the blame for their dismal form on the players.
Liverpool's recent record stands at nine defeats in their last 12 matches, including three consecutive losses by three goals, the latest being a thrashing by PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday. The pressure on Slot has intensified following a 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest and a 4-1 loss at Anfield against PSV in the Champions League.
In a passionate post-match tirade, Carragher called on Liverpool's players to "step up," pointing out that Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah - the club's recent heroes - are not performing at their usual 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.
Virgil van Dijk gave away a needless penalty
Virgil van Dijk gave away a needless penalty (Image: Getty Images)
"I'm not quite there yet, personally, in terms of the manager, but I know a lot of supporters will be. 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 criticizing 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.
"But I don't like criticizing 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 center-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."