Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen comes out in defence of Arne Slot after the eighth defeat of the campaign in Sunday's 2-1 loss to Manchester City
Arne Slot is facing mounting pressure
Arne Slot is facing mounting pressure(Image: Getty Images)
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Michael Owen has come out in defence of Liverpool boss Arne Slot - insisting the head coach's job is safe if he secures qualification to the Champions League for next season at Anfield.
The Reds suffered their eighth league defeat of the campaign on Sunday as Manchester City scored two goals late on to secure just a second win at Anfield since 2003 and the loss leaves the champions in sixth, five points off Manchester United in fourth.
Liverpool have won just one league game in 2026 and could find themselves eight behind United by the time they are entertained by a Sunderland side on Wednesday night who are unbeaten at home since their return to the top flight in August.
Owen, who scored 158 goals for the club between 1996 and 2004, admits he has sympathy for Slot's predicament and believes he will be allowed to continue in his role if he is able to secure qualification to the European Cup via what is likely to be a top-five league finish.
"I believe if Liverpool make the top five in the Premier League then most definitely Arne Slot's job is safe," says Owen, who was speaking to the ECHO via casino.org. "You look at when Arsene Wenger left Arsenal, how long it took to get them back on track and the same now with Manchester United.
"Jurgen Klopp was at Liverpool for a long time and if you say his next in line was going to finish first and fifth in two seasons, winning the Premier League, then this is a good return. Every Liverpool fan would snap your hand off with this return.
"However, with the way it’s happened, winning the Premier League, at a canter in your first season, and now the current performances, it’s a little precarious and a little pressure if it was the other way around.
"If we qualify for the Champions League there should be no question whatsoever, and deserves to see this transitional period through. The pressure will come if we don’t qualify for the Champions League, out of the top five positions in the Premier League, then that is pretty poor and the pressure is on."
Owen added: "I do have sympathy for Arne Slot for certain scenarios. But in the main, to win the Premier League in your first season is excellent and looking at the transfers coming in, I, for one, wasn’t sitting here thinking: 'No, he isn’t right for Liverpool'. And when Isak came in I was thinking this was an awesome signing.
"So, in terms of the current situation, I was actually speaking with Steve McManaman, and he raised a very good point about the four corners of the pitch. For many seasons now we’ve had Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold. So it doesn’t matter who you would buy, there is going to be a drop off.
"If those two aren’t playing, then as a combination, there were the best full backs in world football for five, six years. So, no matter what you get, let’s hope you buy well, but no matter what, they will be in a weaker situation. So this season, there was always going to be a drop off.
"Now the top corners of the pitch and last season Luis Diaz was there, he was exceptional, he wanted to go, so that’s life, that’s football, now it’s Cody Gakpo, I like him, he scores goals and on the right you have Salah, who was a pretty much guarantee for 30+ goals, and I love Mo Salah, but no one can argue that this season he’s dropped off a bit.
"You have his comments, his performances this season and his numbers are way down on previous seasons. So these key areas of the pitch you’re already on a negative, and that is before you even look at replacing the players and recruiting in key areas.
"Florian Wirtz has taken time to settle, but no doubt of the quality he has. Hugo Ekitike I think will be one of the world's top strikers in years to come and he excites me a lot."