Arne Slot's future is in the spotlight after Liverpool's 3-0 Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday at Anfield plunged the Reds deeper into crisis. The loss was Liverpool's sixth in seven Premier League matches and means Slot's side are in the bottom half of the table after 12 games played. Questions are now being asked of the Dutchman and his methods, particularly after a big-spending summer that saw costly stars such as Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike arrive.
Liverpool's stance on Slot's future revealed
Despite Liverpool's dismal start to the season, the Reds currently have no intention of sacking Slot, according to Fabrizio Romano. The transfer guru offered an update on the situation on YouTube, explaining: "What’s going on with Arne Slot? Guys, at the moment I have no information that the Liverpool owners are thinking of making an immediate decision about Arne Slot. So Liverpool are NOT thinking of changing the manager right now. Of course, they – the owners, the club – want to see different results, they expect a lot more from Arne Slot and his team. Surely Liverpool expect to see something different from both the manager and the players, because it’s not just Arne Slot. The players also have to take responsibility, as Virgil van Dijk said, so it’s like the players and the manager.
"Arne Slot knows that the situation is dangerous, complicated, but at the same time he feels the support and trust of the club. Liverpool are NOT in talks with any other manager and are not even considering the possibility of sacking the manager. This is the current situation. Of course, the results have to change, and quickly, both in the Champions League and in the Premier League, especially in the Premier League, because Liverpool are really in a complicated situation. This is the feeling today."
AdvertisementGetty Images SportLiverpool 'going backwards' under Slot
Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown feels that Liverpool are going backwards under Slot. The manager spent heavily in the summer to rebuild his squad, with Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerez and Giovanni Leoni also arriving, but has seen his team go on to lose half of their Premier League matches. Keown told BBC Sport: "Whether it's a crisis, I don't know. It's certainly a major problem for the manager to go six defeats from seven. Unthinkable. The wheels are coming off now for Arne Slot. It was Jurgen Klopp's team and he has tried to come in and make changes, but he has spent £450m on players and they are going backwards."
Van Dijk admits Liverpool are in a mess
Slot admitted the defeat to Nottingham Forest was a "very, very bad result" and captain Virgil van Dijk says the team are in a "mess". The Dutch star also feels the players are letting their manager down and has called on the squad to improve quickly.
"We had a great three or four days’ preparation but in a game you are dealing with facts and the facts are we conceded a set piece in the first half and a terrible goal at the start of the second half," he told reporters. "We are definitely letting him [Slot] down, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. You look at yourself first and then you help each other, you help each other get out of this mess because at the moment it is a mess – that’s just a fact. As the champions we can’t be in the situation we are in right now. What are we going to do about it? We’re going to try to turn it around and that’s the mentality everyone should have."
AFPLiverpool back in Champions League action
Liverpool will turn their attentions back to the Champions League next and a visit from PSV. The Reds have been in better form in Europe, beating Real Madrid last time out and starting the campaign with three wins from four. PSV currently sit top of the Eredivisie table but have managed just one win – a 6-2 thrashing of Serie A champions Napoli – so far in the Champions League. Anything other than a victory against PSV, will pile more pressure on Slot ahead of a Premier League fixture against West Ham on Sunday.