Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has warned that manager Arne Slot has one week to save his job following the club's latest defeat to PSV Eindhoven, with West Ham their next test
Jamie Carragher
Jamie Carragher believes Arne Slot needs to turn things around quickly
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Liverpool manager Arne Slot has just one week to salvage his position, Anfield legend Jamie Carragher has warned. He suggests that the Dutchman's role could become untenable if the next three matches do not go as planned for the Premier League champions.
Slot presided over a ninth loss in 12 games after Liverpool were soundly beaten 4-1 by PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday night. This marked the club's third consecutive defeat by three goals, intensifying the pressure on the former Feyenoord boss, who clinched the Premier League title earlier this year.
For now, Slot's job is secure. However, should Liverpool's dreadful form persist, the situation could rapidly change, with the Reds due to face West Ham at the weekend.
Carragher has now made it clear that he believes Sunday's match in east London, and subsequent fixtures at home to newly-promoted Sunderland and away to Leeds United, will be pivotal for Slot's future.
"Arne Slot has a week to save his job," Carragher stated bluntly in his column for The Telegraph.
"It is hard to believe that sentence is being written, but Liverpool's next three games are against West Ham United, Sunderland and Leeds United. Anything fewer than seven points will make an already unacceptable situation untenable.
"No matter how much goodwill the manager has, Liverpool Football Club cannot sustain the drop in standards witnessed over the past three months.
"No-one knows better than me how much that reality will be hurting everyone connected with my old club. Liverpool do not willingly sack coaches, especially those that bring great success.
Arne Slot
Arne Slot after Liverpool's loss(Image: Richard Martin-Roberts - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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"With respect to the upcoming opponents, he could not have picked a better sequence of games to win back trust and save himself," Carragher added. "But if it gets any worse and the manager cannot find the answers, the club will have no choice but to find someone else who can."
Carragher believes Slot is 'hanging on' and, looking back, suggests there were warning signs in Liverpool's late-season form and their Carabao Cup final defeat to Newcastle United.
The Champions League winner has raised concerns about the style Slot is now trying to implement but believes Liverpool's hierarchy must also shoulder responsibility.
Carragher pointed out that 'signing two expensive No 9s was wrong' during the summer whilst drawing attention to the roles of Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes.
"Since the start of this season, Slot has seemed intent on taking the team in a direction which is not in Liverpool's winning tradition. It felt wrong on day one of this season, and it has led to a mess right now," Carragher said.
Arne Slot vs PSV
Arne Slot is under pressure(Image: PA Wire)
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"Questions will also be asked of those above Slot. History should not be rewritten. When Klopp left, Fenway Sports Group's No.1 priority was to hire Michael Edwards. He recruited sporting director Richard Hughes, Slot followed and the Premier League was won. It was an extraordinary achievement in year one.
"People will try to write off that first season as 'Klopp's team'. I am not having it. The team would have improved and may have won the title under Klopp – we will never know – but Slot used tactics that his predecessor never would such as using Ryan Gravenberch as a No 6, and Luis Diaz as a No 9. He rejuvenated Mohammed Salah to have the season of his life. People were calling for the Egyptian talisman to be sold before Slot arrived.
"But it is incredible that Liverpool have since spent £450m to create an unbalanced squad, lacking enough cover on the wings and at centre-back. After selling Diaz, Liverpool have come into this season without genuine competition for Salah and Cody Gakpo. It's all well and good asking for one or both to be left out, but who replaces them?"