Liverpool head coach Arne Slot surely felt the heat after he watched his team lose 4-0 to Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on Saturday at The Etihad.
The Dutch head coach faced chants of "You're getting sacked in the morning" from the home supporters, who were enjoying their team's exceptional display.
However, there have not been any concrete reports since that defeat to suggest that a change in the dugout is imminent for the Reds, or that Slot's future is in danger.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot-3
The former Feyenoord boss has lost three of his last five matches, been knocked out of both domestic cup competitions, and has the team in fifth place in the Premier League, after winning the division last term.
It now remains to be seen what the club will decide to do with his position at the end of the season, as they may decide that a change is needed in the dugout.
What has been said about Xabi Alonso to Liverpool
Whilst it is not cut and dry that Slot will move on from Anfield in the summer, former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen tactician Xabi Alonso has been linked with the job.
xabi-alonso-real-madrid
It was recently reported that the Spaniard would be interested in taking the job, and that the Reds have been in contact with him to explore a potential deal.
The 44-year-old head coach has been out of work since he left Real Madrid after a 3-2 defeat to Barcelona in January, failing to see out a full season with Los Blancos.
Some Liverpool supporters were even chanting about the Spanish boss as they were leaving the ground on Saturday, which suggests that he would be a popular choice to replace Slot.
The manager Liverpool should pursue instead of Xabi Alonso
Whilst Alonso won the DFB Pokal and the Bundesliga in the 2023/24 campaign with Leverkusen, the former Real boss may not be an ideal fit for the Reds.
Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso.
No Premier League club has won the title playing a 3-4-2-1 or 3-4-3 formation since Antonio Conte did it with Chelsea in the 2016/17 campaign, and Ruben Amorim infamously fell on his sword with that system during his time at Manchester United.
It may, therefore, make more sense for Liverpool to pursue a deal to appoint Enzo Maresca as a replacement for Slot, should they decide to make a change, because he is an out-of-work manager with Premier League experience.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca reacts
The Italian tactician typically deploys a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 system, which is a staple of Premier League title winners, and achieved success during his spell at Chelsea.
Pep Guardiola described Maresca as "one of the best managers in the world", which speaks to how highly he is regarded by his peers, and the 46-year-old coach backed up that comment by winning the Conference League and the Club World Cup, beating PSG in the final of the latter competition.
Whilst Slot has won 40 of his 77 matches and never won a trophy on the European or international stage, the former Chelsea boss has a terrific record outside of domestic football.
|Maresca in international tournaments|
|Competition|Games|Wins|
|---|
|Conference League|13|12|
|Club World Cup|7|6|
|Champions League|6|3|
|Conference League qualifiers|2|1|
The Italian head coach has won 22 of his 28 international games as a manager, winning two trophies, and could bring more success to Liverpool on the European stage than Slot has.
Liverpool have not been linked with an interest in Maresca yet, but he is an out-of-work manager, like Alonso, who seems to be an ideal fit for what the club should want.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca looks dejected after the match
The ex-Leicester manager has Premier League experience, finishing fourth with Chelsea last season, has an excellent record in Europe and at international level, and plays a formation that suits the league.
That is why the Reds should consider making a move to appoint Maresca ahead of Alonso as a possible replacement for Slot, as it remains to be seen whether or not the Spaniard's system and style would suit the English top-flight.
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