Martin Keown has made his decision on the future of Arne Slot after another damaging week for the Liverpool manager.
The Arsenal legend referenced the drop-off from Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, admitting that the Reds are no longer playing with the same heavy metal intensity that once made them so difficult to face. Keown also acknowledged that standards have fallen dramatically from last season, when Slot delivered the Premier League title in his first year.
Even so, he does not believe Liverpool should sack the Dutchman just yet. Instead, Keown wants to see Slot given the chance to redeem himself next season.
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Liverpool have regressed under Arne Slot but Keown says he deserves chance at redemption
Liverpool fans will be tired of hearing it, but Keown believes Slot still has credit in the bank from last season.
Speaking on talkSPORT, the former Arsenal defender admitted Liverpool have lost their balance this year, but stopped short of calling for the Dutchman to go.
He said: “I think you win the league in your first season. I thought that it was a bit more pragmatic. They weren’t quite as crazy Klopp as they were in those years. Klopp was magnificent. Was it this heavy metal football? I thought they slowed it down a little bit and you saw the best coming out.
“But they’ve lost that. They’ve not got that balance right this season. They got it wrong in the transfer market, particularly Isak’s just not been available.
“So, no, I think he deserves another opportunity after winning it, but he has to start well and get the results, and this doesn’t help him.”
That feels like a fair summary of where Liverpool are. The 2025 summer window has not had the desired impact, but in most cases, the concern is not with the individual quality of the players brought in. It is about how badly Liverpool have struggled to function as a cohesive unit.
Keown clearly believes that can change with Slot still in charge. But he also made it clear that the Dutchman cannot afford a slow start next season.
Keown heaps more criticism on Mohamed Salah
While supporters have mostly stood behind Mohamed Salah after his explosive comments about Slot’s Liverpool, the media reaction has been very different.
Keown is the latest to criticise the timing of the Egyptian’s comments.
“For me, it’s like hanging out your dirty washing,” he said. “And he’s still a player at the club, so it’s a little bit early.”
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Nobody is arguing that standards have been good enough under Slot. Liverpool have fallen well short, and Salah is hardly alone in believing this season has not been acceptable.
But going public before the season is even over has created another problem for a manager already under pressure.
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