Sir Kenny Dalglish has weighed in on the pressure Arne Slot is facing at Liverpool by publicly backing the Dutchman.
Slot enjoyed a dream first season at the Liverpool helm after leaving Feyenoord behind for a chance to manage in the Premier League.
Indeed, the 47-year-old seemingly thrived under the pressure of replacing the golden reign of Jurgen Klopp instantly, as Liverpool soared to the Premier League title on a bumper 84 points, ten points ahead of nearest challengers Arsenal.
Yet, football is a fast-changing sport, and in the here and now, the bruised Reds look nowhere near the same side that gave Slot a debut season to cherish.
Slot’s recent difficulties at Liverpool
Looking at the Premier League table right now is enough to show you how far the mighty have fallen.
Liverpool’s indifferent form in the top-flight, which has seen them only pick up two wins across their last five league encounters, means Slot and Co. now sit a disappointing 16 points off table-topping Arsenal, after 26 contests played.
Liverpool Standings Comparison
(As of February 21, Matchweek 26):
| Stat | Last season (24/25) | This season (25/26) | Difference |
| League position | 1st | 6th | -5 places |
| Points | 60 | 42 | -18 points |
| Games played | 26 | 26 | N/A |
| Goal difference | +35 | +6 | -29 GD |
| Losses | 2 | 8 | +6 losses |
At the same 26-game stage last season, Slot’s men were on a mammoth 60 points, hurtling towards collecting the top-flight title honours, having only lost two games along the way.
Now, Liverpool’s confidence has been dented, with eight defeats overall seeing them drop to sixth spot, as Champions League football could slip out of their reach.
It has even led to Manchester United great Wayne Rooney claiming that Slot doesn’t have the ‘aura’ to manage the Reds long-term, with the now heavily scrutinised Dutchman operating in the shadow of Klopp.
Thankfully, for the under-pressure head coach, Anfield royalty in the aforementioned Dalglish has leapt to his defence.
What Dalglish has to say about Slot
The revered Scotsman, who played for Liverpool 515 times, and even managed the club briefly, was speaking to The Athletic recently about the need for patience regarding the one-time Feyenoord boss at the Reds helm.
He said: “It’s always easier to criticise someone than it is to praise them.
“There’s a lot less patience these days, and that’s a problem. If you don’t have patience, it’s unlikely you’ll have success.
“Nothing just grows overnight. Nobody has ever walked into a club and won a trophy straightaway. Everyone has an opinion, but things could be a bit more constructive at times.”
He pinpointed the free-flowing nature of the 3-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion in the FA Cup as a major positive, with the season not fully written off just yet.
Dalglish further stated: “The way we were brought up, it was all about the next game. Don’t look any further ahead than that.
Liverpool’s last game was excellent. If we can put on performances like that most weeks, we’ll have a lot of pluses.”
