Image Credits: Imago Images
The whispers around Arne Slot’s Anfield future are growing louder by the week, with Liverpool’s Premier League shortcomings show little signs of arresting. The defending Premier League champions currently sit sixth in the table, 14 points adrift of league leaders Arsenal.
The frail unbeaten run has disintegrated into five consecutive league games without victory. Liverpool have managed just four points from their last five Premier League fixtures and only five wins from their last 18 league encounters. The latest blow came in agonising fashion on Saturday when Bournemouth snatched a 3-2 stoppage-time winner through Amine Adli, despite Liverpool having fought back from 2-0 down through Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai.
It was another gut-wrenching late collapse for Slot’s side, who have now dropped nine points from winning positions due to goals conceded in stoppage time this season alone. However, despite how the domestic campaign has gone, David Ornstein has maintained that the Reds hierarchy are currently backing Slot and will only consider changes in the summer:
“Every time you make checks on this [Slot’s situation], you’re told nothing before the summer. So, clearly the summer, like we see at many clubs, is a time for review and it’ll be fascinating to see which way Liverpool and other teams go at that point,” Ornstein said to Sky Sports.
“Naturally, if results deteriorate to an alarming degree, I presume the hierarchy at any club, even though they are backing their head coach, will have to think about it. But I think the intention at Liverpool is to back him.”
Meanwhile, Jamie Carragher feels that should Liverpool not qualify for the Champions League this season, then serious questions need to be asked about Arne Slot’s job:
“If you don’t qualify for the Champions League, having won the league the season before and spent as much as Liverpool, I don’t think you’ve got a leg to stand on,” he said on Monday Night Football.
“The real worry I have for Liverpool in terms of qualifying for the Champions League is the three big things that stand out in the Premier League now are set-pieces, counter-attacking football and coming up against low blocks.”
“Liverpool can’t cope with any of them. What we’re seeing is a team in the Premier League that’s not suited to the Premier League.”
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