Liverpool supporters are once again furious with Arne Slot after losing more ground in the Premier League’s top four race.
The Reds currently sit in sixth-place, with Sunday’s late defeat against Manchester City making their quest for Champions League football even more difficult.
If Liverpool do miss out on playing in Europe’s premier competition next season, many fans would, rightly, like to see Slot lose his job.
Were Liverpool fans right to boo Marc Guehi’s every touch vs Man City?
Marc Guehi pictured in action during Manchester City's Premier League match against Liverpool at Anfield (Credit: Getty Images/Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA
The Reds have been a disaster all season long and had the Dutchman been employed by any other Premier League club, he would likely have been handed his P45 a long time ago.
But the Liverpool owners do things differently to their contemporaries, and though supporters are hoping to see the back of Slot, FSG showed before Sunday’s defeat that he is not going anywhere any time soon.
FSG are still backing Arne Slot at Liverpool
Tuesday brought something very rare at Liverpool: the chance to hear sporting director Richard Hughes speak in public.
Hughes sat alongside Slot and FSG CEO Billy Hogan in a promotional video for Standard Chartered, released on the club’s YouTube channel.
Arne Slot and Pep Guardiola during Manchester City v Liverpool - Premier League
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
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As Jamie Carragher pointed out on Sky Sports in the wake of the loss against City, the timing of the 35-minute video was no coincidence. As fans clamour for a change in manager, the owners are showing that Slot is still very much their man.
“It was really interesting, there was a roundtable discussion a few days ago between Billy Hogan, the manager and Richard Hughes,” said the former centre-back.
“I think most supporters have looked at that and seen that as almost a statement from the club to say ‘stop talking about the manager, he’s our man and he’s going to stay’, which is fine, so it doesn’t really matter what we say on it. I see the manager staying almost no matter what.”
What does Arne Slot have to do to still be at Liverpool next season?
FSG are ‘firmly’ behind the manager 👀
Arne Slot on Liverpool future
Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images
It should not be the case that Slot is beyond reproach this season. That the club are standing by him in such a difficult year may be admirable, but it is also very likely to cost them dearly.
Will there be a change at the end of the season?
Most supporters will by now have accepted that there is a high chance that Slot will see out the season with Liverpool come rain or shine.
While FSG have subtly reinforced that notion this week, the question of whether a change will be made in the summer still lingers.
Sadly for those wishing to see the end of Slot, history would suggest that FSG will give him further time to correct the course of the team.
Brendan Rodgers suffered a similarly poor season in 2014/15 on back of almost winning the Premier League the year before. There were calls for the Northern Irishman to be relieved of his duties, but he was given the first two months of the 2015/16 campaign before being replaced.
Slot has far more credit in the bank with the owners than Rodgers ever did, and unless something drastic happens, it feels probable that he will be afforded a similar amount of grace 11 years on. Things could certainly get a whole lot worse before they get better.
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