Liverpool haven’t sacked a manager since Brendan Rodgers in 2015, but Arne Slott’s disastrous form has fueled enthusiasm for the Dutchman, who is in freefall with the Reds.
Liverpool last sacked a manager after losing two of 11 games, but Arne Slott’s nine defeats from 12 games seemed even more worrying.
Since FSG bought the club, they have enjoyed great stability in terms of management, thanks to Jurgen Klopp’s long tenure. But the situation facing Slott now could force him into action as the team’s demise shows no signs of slowing down.
PSV came to Anfield on Wednesday and scored three goals in the second half to win. It was the second time in five days that a visiting team had scored at least three goals, following Nottingham Forest’s 3-0 win on Merseyside.
A series of results dating back to late September saw Liverpool fall from being the Premier League’s pace-setters to a bottom-half team. Their hopes of retaining the title are all but over and it’s not even December yet. They were also expelled from the Carabao Cup.
Slott has been given some patience considering he won the Premier League title in his first season. However, there is no sign that this sequence of events is coming to an end, and few can find a glimmer of hope to hold on to.
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It’s always a risk to sack a manager mid-season and Luis Enrique is thought to be Liverpool’s ideal choice, but he has no intention of leaving PSG now. But FSG announced their intention to sack Brendan Rodgers after a 1-1 draw with Everton 10 years ago in November 2015, and signed Klopp four days later.
Rogers’ dismissal
There is no doubt that the performance of the German player was a factor, and Rodgers overcame a disappointing season to thrive. Nevertheless, the ruthlessness with which he was sacked was surprising, especially since the Reds were by no means free-floating as they are now.
In the 2015/16 season, Liverpool started the season with back-to-back wins, but drew against Arsenal. West Ham’s shock 3-0 defeat at Anfield, their first, took its toll on Rodgers with the loss at Old Trafford, but it was by no means over. Performance became an issue and Norwich left with a draw against Liverpool.
The Northern Irishman’s last win came against Crystal Palace in a five-goal contest. Outside the Premier League, the Reds struggled to win, but never lost with the regularity they do now.
They drew in both of their Europa League encounters, but one would have expected more considering their opponents were Bordeaux and FC Sion. The Cumbrians needed a penalty to play Carlisle at Anfield after 120 minutes and a 1-1 draw. Liverpool’s stalemate in the Merseyside derby ended without any sense that Rodgers was about to be sacked, but that was the decision of the leaders.
Liverpool’s leaders are faced with a scenario in which they have to act again, something that would have been unthinkable in the summer when the champions spent more than £400m to retain the title and almost every pundit was backing them.
Slott is not naive to the situation he faces, but he still believes he has the backing he needs. “It would be nice if we could come back and win, but if you’re working as a coach and you’re not doing well, it’s normal for questions to be asked. When you lose so many times, people start talking about it. I have a lot of support from above. I’m fine with my position. They don’t call me every minute of the day to say they trust me, but I feel the trust in the conversations we have on a regular basis,” the Dutchman said on Wednesday.
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