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Liverpool have slipped down to 6th place in the Premier League table after their defeat to AFC Bournemouth
Liverpool boss Arne Slot deserves the chance to keep his job despite their inconsistent season so far, says former Reds player Danny Murphy. The Merseyside giants stormed to the Premier League title in the last campaign ahead of Arsenal. However, they have struggled to reach the same heights this time around.
They find themselves positioned in 6th place in the table after 23 fixtures behind the Gunners, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Manchester United and Chelsea. Slot’s men were beaten 3-2 away by AFC Bournemouth last time out. They are back in action in the Champions League on Wednesday night at home to Qarabag as they look to return to winning ways.
Liverpool turned to Slot in 2024 after Jurgen Klopp’s exit. Prior to his move to England, he caught the eye in the Eredivisie at Feyenoord. The Dutchman initially adapted well to life in this country but is now being tested.
Danny Murphy delivers verdict on Liverpool’s current predicament
Murphy has delivered his verdict on Liverpool, as per Spreadex Sports: “I mean, they've still got a chance in the Champions League, they're in the FA Cup, fighting for Champions League places in the Prem, there's lots to play for. I feel like he (Slot) deserves that opportunity after winning the league last year. The change around the beginning of this season is quite unusual and unique really for a team which just won the league, to lose three of their best players and (then) obviously the circumstances around Jota which is devastating for everyone.”
“I do understand the frustration because the level of performance has been way below, way below, and a lot of talk at the moment about the style of performance which you're talking about and alluding to which is a little bit ponderous and a little bit slow, but that wasn't really a problem last season when they were winning games.
He added: “It's always a difficult thing to have winning football and really attractive football. The problem for Slot is that for years under clock, even when they had seasons where they weren't winning trophies, the football was dynamic. It was high energy, high press and Liverpool expect that.
“So Slot's got a dilemma now in that does he try and move the team, move the dial, move the team towards that more high energy and take more risks or does he stick with what he's doing? And that's something that he'll be thinking about when he's in bed at night I think because ultimately I think if he doesn't change the style and become a bit more dynamic and a bit more high risk then he's leaving himself wide open to more criticism.
“Now the problem is with Liverpool on occasion this season when they did go a bit more high risk and dynamic they lost games against good opposition when you think of Chelsea, Man United, they lost those games and it's a really difficult one for him.”
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