Arne Slott has said there is “no guarantee” he will remain as Liverpool manager if the club misses out on next season’s Champions League qualification, but pointed out it is a good sign for him that the club is standing by manager Jurgen Klopp in a similar situation.
Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher says the Dutchman won’t have a foothold in the slot if Liverpool go from being Premier League champions to finishing outside the top five after spending £450m last summer, despite bringing them the title last season.
After Liverpool lost 2-1 to Man City at Anfield on Sunday, Carragher insisted Liverpool were unlikely to finish in the top five next season given the form of their Reds rivals. Liverpool started this week’s midweek game with a four-point lead over fifth-placed Chelsea ahead of Wednesday’s game against Sunderland.
On whether his future depends on Champions League football, Slott said: “This is also a difficult question for me to answer, because it is not for me to decide my future.”
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Arne Slott admitted it would be “unacceptable” this season if Liverpool missed out on Champions League qualification.
However, Slott then hinted that this could bode well for him, referring to how Liverpool supported Klopp at the end of the 2022-23 season, when the Reds finished fifth behind Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United and missed out on the Champions League.
“The only thing I know is that it happened before and recently and it didn’t affect the future of that manager,” Slott said of the season under Klopp. “But of course that doesn’t guarantee anything.”
Slott: This is by far the toughest season.
Slott admits he is enduring the most difficult season of his managerial career as he attempts to qualify for the Champions League with Liverpool.
Asked if this was the most difficult maneuver, the Dutchman replied: “A mile difference.” “Because all the other seasons I’ve managed have been nothing but positive. I don’t think we’ve ever lost two games in a row.”
“This season is an exception for me as well as for the players. The players are not used to losing a lot and drawing a lot.
“This season is different from other seasons where we’ve done something special. And there’s still a chance we can do something special this season.”
‘A long time ago’ – Carla predicts Liverpool will miss out on Champions League qualification
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Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool need a major turnaround in form to have any chance of finishing in the top five of the Champions League.
On Sunday, Carragher revealed that he expects Liverpool to miss out on Champions League qualification through the Premier League.
A Sky Sports pundit said Arne Slott’s side were “long gone” from finishing in the top five after losing 2-1 at home to Manchester City on Super Sunday.
Asked on Sunday if he thought Liverpool could qualify for the Champions League in the Premier League, Carragher said: “No, I don’t think so at the moment.”
“They are going to need a big turnaround in form and the players above them are in great form.
Looking at Liverpool’s league, it looks like they have a long way to go to finish in the top five in the Champions League. Now there is a gap.
They can make up for it, but Liverpool need to perform well in the two cup competitions to save their season.
Carragher added: “The manager has to make new decisions regarding his front four.”
“If Liverpool keep their front four and the games go end-to-end, I don’t see how they can move up in the Champions League.
“But no matter what Arne Slott does, this team and the composition of the team is not right. It never looks stable and it never seems to be in control.”
“Liverpool have a long way to go to qualify for the Champions League.”
Neville: Win at Sunderland, Liverpool back on bike
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Gary Neville felt VAR “didn’t need to intervene” in the dramatic conclusion to Liverpool’s game against Manchester City, in which Rayan Cherki’s goal was disallowed and Dominik Szoboszlai was given a red card.
Carragher’s fellow Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville was more positive about Liverpool’s chances of breaking into the top five, but said they must show mental resilience to bounce back from the loss to City.
“They are currently four points clear of the top five,” he said on the Gary Neville Podcast. “It’s not a big difference at all, there’s a long way to go and they have to play most of the teams above them, so they still have a lot of chances.
“But there are question marks over Liverpool, there are question marks over whether they will finish in the Champions League.
“I still think they will, but what they have to do is put it (the loss against City) behind them quickly and throw it in a corner and forget about it.
“Some people will say they concede late and it’s happening too often. Some people will say something is wrong, something is fundamentally wrong, structurally wrong. But I think they need to try to calm themselves down as much as possible. They need to get themselves back together.”
“They have a lot of experience with Alisson, Alexis Mac Allister, Virgil van Dijk, Mo Salah, Ryan Gravenbirch. They have a lot of players who know what to do.
“Can they keep it up? Will they be able to get back on their bikes?”
“They go to Sunderland next, which is awkward. If you really want to tell everyone we’re still going to be in the Champions League, go win there. Go to Sunderland and win. It’s going to be a difficult place to go.”
“To win confidently there, be professional and keep a clean sheet. That’s what everyone needs right now for Liverpool.”
