Steven Gerrard once caused quite a stir when he broke off from an interview to dismiss speculation linking him with the Liverpool position.
The incident occurred in March 2021, while Gerrard was enjoying tremendous success as Rangers manager. He had guided the Glasgow club to its first Scottish Premiership title in a decade, remarkably going through the entire league season without defeat.
Many saw this achievement as the perfect launching pad for a sensational return to Anfield, especially with Jurgen Klopp experiencing some difficulties at that time. Yet Gerrard was quick to quash such speculation. When discussing his Rangers future and the possibility of replacing Klopp, he firmly dismissed the notion.
"The Liverpool fans don't want me to be the manager," he said. "They want Jurgen Klopp to continue to be the Liverpool manager - and I'm totally with all of them.
"We shouldn't talk about this, we have one of the best managers leading our club at the minute, I love him. I hope he stays for a few more years. I've got a job here. I don't think it's helpful to talk about this, and I hope Jurgen stays at Liverpool for many years."
Similar to Rangers, Liverpool had recently broken its own lengthy title drought, securing the Premier League with 99 points in 2019-20.
Gerrard was previously viewed as an ideal replacement for Jurgen Klopp
Gerrard was previously viewed as an ideal replacement for Jurgen Klopp (Image: Getty Images)
However, Liverpool's bid to defend the crown fell apart when the team's performances deteriorated dramatically during the second half of the subsequent season. From January to March 2021, Liverpool suffered eight defeats in 12 league matches, including a run of six losses in seven games. This downturn put the Merseyside club's Champions League qualification in jeopardy.
However, Liverpool bounced back impressively during the final stretch of the season, going unbeaten for two months. With eight victories in their last 10 fixtures, the Reds secured a third-place finish and a return to Europe's top club competition.
Klopp remained at the helm for another three seasons before stepping down at the conclusion of the 2023-24 campaign. By then, the chances of Gerrard taking over had dwindled following a poor stint at Aston Villa.
Arne Slot was eventually appointed as Klopp's successor and made an immediate impact. Under his leadership, Liverpool clinched the 2024-25 Premier League title, making Slot only the fifth manager in English soccer history to win the trophy in his debut season.
However, reminiscent of the 2020-21 season, Liverpool's title defence quickly unravelled. Despite a promising start with five wins from their opening matches, Slot's players have since experienced one of the worst runs in the club's recent history, losing nine out of 12 matches across all competitions between September and November.
Now facing intense scrutiny, the Dutch manager could find himself out of a job unless he can halt the decline.
Gerrard has once again been touted as a potential replacement - however, his recent comments this month suggest he plans to back Slot, just as he previously supported Klopp, rather than seeking to take over.
"Listen, the job he done from taking the reins off Jurgen Klopp was impeccable, and he deserves a lot of praise for that," Gerrard said. "So that's the reason why it's been frustrating the last few weeks, people calling him for to be sacked and for there to be changes - that's absolute nonsense."
Gerrard has remained without a club since leaving Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Nassr in January. He was linked with a potential return to Rangers earlier this year following Russell Martin's dismissal, but he eventually withdrew from consideration.