Liverpool information: Arne Slot sack determination newest as Reds icon offers Xabi Alonso verdict
Liverpool have two chances remaining to capture silverware this season via the FA Cup and the Champions League, with a quarter-final against Manchester City first up
Arne Slot knows he faces a critical period at Liverpool after the international break(Image: Offside via Getty Images)
Liverpool have two remaining opportunities to secure silverware this campaign through the FA Cup and the Champions League.
Next up is a quarter-final clash in England’s most prestigious cup tournament against Manchester City on Saturday. A massive European Cup last-eight encounter with PSG will then take place on Wednesday, April 8. And Arne Slot knows failing to progress could prove very costly with the reigning Premier League champions already long out of this year’s title race.
With form deteriorating, attention has inevitably turned to his future, with the Dutchman experiencing intense scrutiny as the Reds battle to secure a top-four league position. Here’s all the latest news from Anfield.
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Slot sack stance
According to The Athletic, Slot’s role remains secure for the time being. The report suggests the Dutchman retains the support of club hierarchy Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards.
The decision-makers at Anfield believe Slot has faced a challenging brief this season, with the devastating loss of Diogo Jota continuing to cast a shadow over the club. The article suggests that if Slot weathers this turbulent spell, he should be in a stronger position to guide Liverpool onwards.
Nevertheless, that viewpoint could change drastically if Liverpool crash out of the FA Cup and the Champions League – and if they slip further from the Premier League’s top five.
Slot’s accomplishments in securing the league title for the Reds mustn’t be forgotten. The Reds’ boss hasn’t dodged questions regarding his future this campaign either.
“I don’t think it’s important if it’s fair or not,” he said when questioned about his job security at the back end of 2025. “But that is normal. That I understand.
“If any manager around the world loses football games, let alone so many as we’ve lost, it’s quite normal that people have an opinion about that. And if that’s fair or not fair, that’s for the people to judge. But that is normal. I think it is that if you lose so many times, that people start talking about that.”
Xabi Alonso warning
John Barnes has called on Liverpool to dismiss the possibility of a stunning Xabi Alonso comeback, insisting Slot can right the ship at Anfield, reports the Mirror.
Former Bayer Leverkusen manager Alonso has been without a club since he was sacked by Real Madrid in January, with supporter calls for the ex-Red intensifying with each loss under Slot.
“Well, I understand the clamour because Xabi is a Liverpool favourite,” Barnes said. “But did he not fail at Real Madrid? Was he actually a successful manager?
“Of course, don’t get me wrong, I think Xabi is great and he did a good job. But he got sacked by Real Madrid for failure, didn’t he? That’s why they got rid of him.
“Of course we do like the clamour for ex-players. Steven Gerrard’s been mentioned before. So I understand the way fans are. But this is the way fans are. They’re very fickle.
“We won the league with Arne Slot and all of a sudden we want to sack him? If he then goes and Alonso comes, suppose Alonso fails in his first six months or first year, are we going to say sack him and bring somebody else in?
“I always support the managers, whoever they are, because they come to the club because of their success, because they’re good managers, and they have to be given time.
“Jurgen Klopp was 20 points off the top when he first came, but we stuck with him. So I think Xabi will be a great manager one day, but I want Arne Slot to stay.”
