Arne Slot is facing an uphill battle to get Liverpool supporters back on side after a woeful season as defending champions.
The Dutchman could do no wrong last year having guided the Reds to the Premier League title in his debut season at the helm.
However, things have badly regressed in year two, and Slot may well pay for that with his job.
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Which would you rather?
Slot wins the Champions League and stays at LFC, or wins the FA Cup but is fired 🤔
Arne Slot looks on ahead of Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against Inter Milan at San Siro (Credit: Getty Images).
Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Xabi Alonso’s newfound availability has put Slot under more pressure, with many Liverpool fans willing owners FSG to hire their former midfielder.
Recent reports suggest that Alonso would prefer to take over next summer, though, meaning the Reds would have to appoint an interim manager until the end of the season. According to journalist David Lynch, this is not something Liverpool are likely to do despite making a clear decision that Slot will be fired.
Liverpool have already decided to fire Arne Slot
Part of the reason Slot escaped getting the boot amid Liverpool’s worst run of form for more than 50 years last autumn was seemingly because of the lack of a clear alternative.
But while Alonso’s firing at Real Madrid has changed that, his reluctance to join mid-season means little is different in regards to Slot leaving immediately.
Arne Slot watches from his haunches during Liverpool's Premier League matches against Leeds United at Anfield.
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
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Speaking to Anfield Index, Lynch said he feels that FSG have indeed already decided Slot’s fate, but are hoping to make it to May before relieving him of his duties.
“They clearly, clearly want to get to the end of the season with Slot if they can,” he said. “They don’t want to make a mid-season managerial change because who do you get as the interim? It would clearly be better to make the managerial change in the summer.
“I think his future’s already set to be honest. It’s been so pronounced the decline for such a long time. It is only a case of getting to the summer albeit if he starts to lose six, seven on the bounce again he will get bulleted because they’ll feel forced to go for an interim. But they don’t want to change, they really would prefer not to.”
Will Xabi Alonso be Liverpool manager by the start of the 2026/27 season?
If no, where will he be instead?
Xabi Alonso pictured during Real Madrid's La Liga match against Real Betis at the Bernabeu (Credit: Getty Images/Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto
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“Then it’s kind of go for a manager then in the summer. People are talking about go and get Xabi Alonso, but he’s not going to want to walk into a job now, so it’d have to be an interim and I don’t think there’s a great deal out there.”
What if Liverpool start losing again? Who could come in?
This sounds like a sensible strategy from Liverpool, especially with the recent revelation that Alonso would not be especially willing to join right now.
However, as Lynch points out, there is a scenario where the Reds have no choice but to make a change. They lost nine out of 12 games between September and November, three of them by three clear goals. A similar run and FSG will feel they have to act.
In that event, they could possibly persuade Alonso to bring forward the appointment by a couple of months, but if not, a short-term replacement for Slot would have to be found.
Steven Gerrard feels like one potential solution. The Liverpool legend has some managerial chops and his status at the club would get fans onside immediately.
Another could be U21s manager Rob Page, who took charge of Wales for four years before joining as a youth coach last summer. Failing that, does anyone know what Rafa Benitez is up to?
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