Danny Murphy believes that Arne Slot’s track record at Liverpool will become ‘irrelevant’ if the Reds’ fortunes don’t improve quickly.
Having romped to Premier League title glory in his first season in charge, the Dutchman is now facing scrutiny over his position as head coach after a calamitous run of nine defeats from 12 games, with the champions dropping to 12th in the top-flight table in that time.
Since going five points clear at the summit after beating Everton two months ago, LFC’s tally of three points in seven league games is the second-lowest in the division, with only Wolves (two points) faring worse in that time.
Murphy: Slot now faces a ‘big, big week’ at Liverpool
Speaking on talkSPORT on Wednesday, Murphy voiced his admiration for Slot as a person but said that his character and previous success with Liverpool count for nothing when his team are struggling so dismally on the pitch.
The former Reds midfielder stated: “I think any manager that goes on a run where you’re losing constantly, you’re always putting yourself in trouble. Liverpool’s form at the moment in the Premier League is relegation form.
“There’s only Wolves who have picked up fewer points in the last six games, so if they were to lose the next two against West Ham and Sunderland, then yeah of course [he’d be in trouble]. Let’s hope we don’t have to have that conversation.
“I like Arne Slot, especially after meeting him. He’s got a bit about him. He’s bright, he’s warm, but it doesn’t matter what you’ve done before or if you’re liked. It’s irrelevant when you lose games with Liverpool constantly. He’s got a big, big week ahead of him.”
Danny Murphy believes that Arne Slot's previous success at Liverpool will become 'irrelevant' if results don't improve soon
(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Slot can’t afford many more abject surrenders like last night
Murphy’s comments probably reflect the thoughts of many LFC supporters – Slot is an affable and personable human being who’s had to deal with the extreme trauma of Diogo Jota’s death in the summer, but fans’ patience will only stretch so far amid the Reds’ unfathomable slump.
The number of empty seats at Anfield well before the final whistle of the defeats to Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven paint a damning picture of the team’s malaise, and there were even some boos at the end of the 4-1 drubbing by the Eredivisie outfit, a rarity in L4.
We wouldn’t want to see the 47-year-old being unceremoniously turfed out the door after what he achieved last season, and it’s not as though there’s an overflow of superior candidates who’d be realistically attainable waiting in the wings to replace him.
Liverpool are now facing into a seven-day Premier League triple header against West Ham, Sunderland and Leeds, two of whom are currently in the bottom four in the division.
As Murphy says, it feels like a potentially decisive week for Slot, who’ll be under no illusions that he can’t afford a continuation of the abject surrenders to Manchester City, Forest and PSV.
Let’s just hope and pray that a thoroughly good man who delivered such joy to Kopites just a few months ago can instigate a much-needed turnaround in the coming days.
You can watch Slot’s full post-PSV press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube: