Arne Slot’s Liverpool failed to beat an injury-hit Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, which means he is ‘under pressure’ in the eyes of Michael Owen.
For much of the 2025/26 season, there have been calls for Slot to be sacked despite the stance remaining that Liverpool are backing the manager for now.
However, after the Tottenham draw at Anfield, Owen suggested that the Dutchman needs Champions League qualification this season.
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Michael Owen thinks Arne Slot under pressure and needs Champions League football
Speaking to the Premier League live blog after Sunday’s defeat, the former Liverpool striker had some advice for Slot amid him being ‘under pressure’.
He mooted the Reds using their ‘best team’ rather than resting key stars as they did against Spurs.
Owen said: “He’s under pressure, he needs to make sure he qualifies for the Champions League next season. The way they’re playing at the moment, if I were [Arne Slot] I’d be trying to get some continuity in this team.
“They’re not playing well and then they’re resting everyone, I’d just prefer the best team to actually play. When you’re not playing well, you’ve got to find a spark from somewhere, but chopping and changing? Not when you’re in bad form.”
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Arne Slot’s response to Liverpool fans booing
It has become clear that a lot of fans are not happy with their manager and players.
Even the match-going supporters have begun to turn, and were heard booing after the clash with Tottenham.
Slot responded to those boos when speaking to BBC Sport post-game.
He said: “No, I think it is completely normal. If the team you are supporting drop so many points against teams you don’t expect them to so many times in the last seconds of a game then I think we all feel a lot of frustration.
“They have experienced this far too many times, more times than they are used to and that is completely normal that they show their frustration. The frustration is felt by me, by the players and also by our fans.”
Rousing The Kop think it’s time for Slot to be replaced before the Champions League meeting with Galatasaray on Wednesday evening, or Liverpool risk their entire season being a disaster.
But simply based on how FSG operate, it is hard to see the Dutchman going before the summer.
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