Liverpool head coach Arne Slot says he has strong reason to believe he will still be in charge next season, despite growing pressure and a visible drop in support after a disappointing follow-up to last year’s title-winning campaign.
Asked directly about his future, Slot stressed he does not make the decision alone but added that he is under contract and has been involved in ongoing discussions with the club. He said he expects to be the manager next season and confirmed he has been part of planning and recruitment talks for the summer.
Liverpool sit fourth in the Premier League with two games remaining, holding a four-point cushion over sixth, and are well placed to qualify for the Champions League. Still, dissatisfaction with the team’s style and recent displays — including a lacklustre draw with Chelsea at Anfield — has fuelled speculation over Slot’s job.
That speculation has intensified because of links between former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso and Chelsea, with pundits and sections of the fanbase vocal about preferring Alonso. Sky Sports analyst Jamie Carragher said he believes Alonso would choose Liverpool if the role was available and suggested many supporters have turned against Slot, pointing to a sharp drop in form after the high of last season.
Carragher warned that some fans fear a repeat of a familiar pattern: an excellent debut season followed by a much poorer second campaign that ultimately leads to a managerial change. He added, however, that current indications are Slot looks likely to be given another season.
Slot responded to criticism by noting that scrutiny is part of the job and that modern social media makes opinions more public than they used to be — once shared in a pub, now broadcast more widely. He said it is not for him to judge those who criticize and acknowledged supporters have the right to their views.
Sky Sports News correspondent Vinny O’Connor reported that Slot gave an emphatic answer about his future at his press conference. O’Connor highlighted Slot’s role in recruitment talks as evidence the club has involved him in next season’s preparations and suggested that underpins Slot’s confidence he will be retained.
For now, Liverpool’s board appear to be backing Slot through the remainder of the campaign, while talk surrounding Alonso and Chelsea continues to keep the debate over the manager’s future alive.