Emile Heskey is no longer fully convinced that Arne Slot is the man to take Liverpool forward beyond the end of the season.
The Dutchman remains under huge pressure despite winning the Premier League last year, with performances and results both falling well below expectations. Liverpool’s hierarchy are backing Slot for now, but the mood around Anfield has shifted dramatically in recent weeks.
Heskey has now outlined a number of concerns about the manager, and the former Liverpool striker is certainly not alone in wondering whether a change could yet happen.
Should Curtis Jones keep his place at right-back against Aston Villa?
Or is Joe Gomez a better option?
Emile Heskey outlines just how bad Liverpool have been under Arne Slot
Expectations were always going to be high after last season’s title win.
That pressure was then exacerbated by a huge summer spend, with Liverpool backing Slot heavily in the market and expecting the team to kick on. Instead, the football has looked flat, the defeats have piled up, and supporters have grown increasingly restless.
Despite Slot’s achievements, Heskey would not be shocked if Liverpool called time on his reign.
Appearing on the All Out Football podcast, he said: “Look, it’s difficult to sack someone off the back of winning the league and finishing top four, hopefully.
“It’s difficult to do so, but when you’ve spent that sort of money and the football’s not quite where you believe it should be, to lose that many games in a season as well, it’s tough. It’s a tough watch as well.
“So, I wouldn’t be surprised if they did it in the sense of there’s managers out there that could probably fit the system that we want, but then do we have the squad to balance it?”
You can usually survive one major issue. Either the results are poor but the football remains exciting, or the football is dull but the points keep coming.
When both things go wrong together, that is when a manager’s position starts to look untenable.
Add the investment made into the squad, and it is no wonder so many Liverpool fans are fed up with Slot. This was supposed to be a team moving forward, not one falling off almost immediately after becoming champions.
Still, as always when Slot’s future is called into question, the current message from above remains one of support.
Liverpool keep Arne Slot, Xabi Alonso goes to Chelsea. How would you react? 😄😡
The final point from Heskey is also important. There are managers out there, but it is not quite the deep pool of obvious Liverpool-level coaching talent some are making it out to be.
Realistically, there are only three or four candidates who would truly fit the job.
That means FSG have to decide whether one of them represents a clear upgrade on Slot. There is risk in keeping him, but there is risk in moving too.
- READ MORE: The key reason why Liverpool need to let Xabi Alonso join Chelsea as Arne Slot similarity shows
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