Steven Gerrard has been linked as a possible successor to manager Arne Slott following Liverpool’s recent poor performance.
Steven Gerrard has received glowing praise from his former rivals, despite being told that the Liverpool job was not the right choice for him. The reigning Premier League champions have endured a fearsome defense of victory, losing six of their last eight league games.
Despite getting back to winning ways with a 2-0 win over West Ham last Sunday, Arne Slott’s side are still far from out of the woods and the pressure is firmly on the Dutchman’s position.
Confidence in Slott hit an all-time low after Liverpool lost 4-1 at home to PSV in Europe last week, with fans booing the team throughout the game.
Amid Liverpool’s continued poor run of results, speculation surrounding who could replace Slott has been confusing. Gerrard had been tipped as a potential candidate for the top job at the club where he spent most of his career.
Former teammate Jamie Carragher says it would be a monumental move for a player who came through the system and finished as one of the club’s all-time greats to return to his old stomping grounds, but it would be an unwise move.
read more: Jurgen Klopp and Jamie Carragher disagree over future Liverpool managerread more: Jurgen Klopp’s verdict on Steven Gerrard as Liverpool icon says he could replace Arne Slott
Asked in the Overlap Fan Debate if the rumors of Gerrard being at Anfield were true, the Reds legend said: “No, I wouldn’t imagine it. He was the manager at Villa and he’s had great success at Rangers.”
“He’s a legendary figure and he came floating back to Liverpool. I don’t think most Liverpool fans would be crying out for Steven Gerrard. Everyone is desperate for things to go well for Arne Slott. They’ve been doing very poorly, but the flip side of that is, how long will that last?”
Carragher has also been backed by another former colleague in Emile Heskey, who recently insisted Gerrard needs more managerial experience before taking the big job at Liverpool. The former England striker said via BetBrain: “He needs more experience.
“He definitely needs more experience because when you get the biggest job, or one of the biggest jobs in the world, the scrutiny comes back to you on everything you do, everything you say, everything the players do.
“Honestly, he’s going to need more experience to jump into that hot seat. He’s going to get the job, he’s going to be asked to come interview for the job, it’s really up to him what he wants to do.”
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£43
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
Despite the opinions of Carragher and Heskey, it was Rio Ferdinand himself who told Gerrard to prepare for a call-up from Liverpool if his form continued. The Manchester United legend, who played against Gerrard and the Merseyside Giants on numerous occasions, said the former Reds captain could be appointed as Slott’s replacement due to pressure from fans.
“I was in Qatar with Steven Gerrard for the last few days,” Ferdinand said on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast after watching the Qatar Grand Prix with his former England team-mate. “The other day I was eating and I said to him, “Listen, I need to sharpen my tools.
“Hone your tools and be ready, because there’s a chance you’ll be back as interim boss.” With so many games coming up, I was wondering if Slot would be in good enough shape to get through them all. I thought there might be too much pressure from the terraces and the fan base that they might make a decision.
“In a situation like that, when you have someone like Steven Gerrard sitting there who is a club legend, you forget about his tenure at different clubs. You have a football club legend ready to come in and steady the ship for them. I wouldn’t have been surprised if Steven Gerrard got the call.”
