Arne Slot’s job at Liverpool is still not safe just yet.
After romping to the Premier League title last season, the wheels seem to have fallen off a little bit for the Reds, which has led to questions about Slot’s future.
The win at West Ham has certainly bought him some time and got Liverpool back on the right track, but things can derail very quickly with how many fixtures they have coming up.
mail iconJoin our newsletter for news & smart analysis.
Do you agree with the Rousing The Kop writer predictions for Liverpool vs Sunderland? Let us know yours…
James Brooke: 3-1 Liverpool win. I think Sunday’s result will bring confidence back to both players and fans. The Anfield factor should work back in Liverpool’s favour and though they’ll probably concede, I think they’ll still come out on top.
Freddie Dorman: 2-1 to Liverpool. Sunderland will make it a physical and ugly battle, putting Liverpool under a lot of pressure. However, think they might manage to stay in it, probably thanks to Alisson, and nick it late on.
Josh Barker: 2-2. Sunderland have shown on multiple occasions this season that they can compete with the best teams, and they will test Liverpool’s shaky defence a lot more than West Ham.
Liverpool players hold a group huddle on the pitch ahead of kick-off in the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Liverpool at the London Stadium
Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP via Getty Images
👇 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say
Some believe that the next few games could be very telling, with bad results against Sunderland and Leeds perhaps something that could cost him his job.
Former Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Friedel, however, thinks there is only one way Slot is not the Reds manager by the end of the season, and it would be very drastic if it were to happen.
Brad Friedel reckons Arne Slot would have to resign and he will never be sacked
Arne Slot reacts during Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
No matter what, Slot will go down in the history of Liverpool for winning them a league title, but there is a chance that his time is cut way shorter than anyone would have imagined.
It would certainly be a very bold call to sack him, but results have not been good enough and Liverpool are far too big a team not to be causing most of their opponents issues.
MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES
Friedel, though, thinks that the Dutchman will probably never be sacked as the Reds are not that type of club, with it being much more likely that he walks instead.
“Liverpool are not a hire and fire club,’ he said on talkSPORT.
“I think there would almost need to be a player revolt, but I can’t see that happening, that’s not part of the history of Liverpool football club.
“I could see things going so badly that a manager resigns, I’m not saying Arne Slot would do that, but I could see that more now than Liverpool getting together and saying ‘we won the league with him last year, we’ve invested all this money, let’s get rid of him’. That’s not how Liverpool works.”
No manager is unsackable
Although Friedel is right about the Reds not being a hire and fire club, that does not mean they are not ruthless enough to do it.
Arne Slot could become the third shortest serving permanent Liverpool manager in history
Roy Hodgson – 6 months 7 days
Kenny Dalglish (2nd stint) – 1 year, 4 months, 23 days
Arne Slot – 1 year, 5 months, 26 days
Joe Fagan – 1 year, 9 months, 29 days
Brendan Rodgers – 3 years, 4 months, 7 days
Phil Taylor 3 years, 7 months, 17 days
Roy Hodgson Unveiled As New Liverpool FC Manager
Photo by Clint Hughes/Getty Images
👇 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say
If Liverpool lose both games this week, there is a strong possibility he could go, but either way, between now and the new year is pivotal.
They have six games left of 2025, and with two against newly-promoted sides and one against bottom of the table Wolves, a minimum of nine points is likely needed to save his job.
If not, Liverpool probably will not hesitate to find his replacement and go into 2026 with a new man at the helm.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox