Liverpool legend Steve Nicol has delivered a scathing assessment of Arne Slot’s tenure, questioning the Dutchman’s future at Anfield following a disappointing 3-2 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday.
Confidence was high among the traveling Kop ahead of Sunday’s showdown, with many optimistic that Liverpool could once again assert their dominance over their long-standing North West rivals.
Indeed, Slot has managed to steer the Merseyside club to three straight Premier League victories against Everton, Fulham, and Crystal Palace, in the build-up to making this short trip over enemy lines.
Unfortunately, as has often been the case this season, Liverpool sank to a depressing defeat, right as you think Slot side. have finally turned a corner away from all these inconsistencies, with Kobbie Mainoo scoring a late winner for Michael Carrick’s men, to hand the hosts a dramatic 3-2 victory.
Having received plenty of praise for those three straight victories, it was back to Slot being handed a lot of criticism after this sobering defeat, with the Reds looking far too lethargic and error-prone.
Appearing on ESPN post match former Reds defender Steve Nicol pulled no punches regarding Arne Slot’s increasingly precarious position. The Scotsman offered a blunt verdict on the state of the dressing room, boldly claiming that the head coach has officially “lost the faith” of his squad.
Nicol’s bold comments after the United defeat
Nicol has been unafraid to speak his mind when it comes to his former side, when appearing on ESPN all season long.
Indeed, the outspoken 64-year-old had previously criticised Liverpool’s decision-making when it came to loaning out Harvey Elliott to Aston Villa, when he could’ve been of use in Slot’s first-team.
He took it up a notch, post-match after the United defeat, by declaring that the under-fire head coach has ‘lost the faith’ of his camp, with Slot’s troops accused of looking ‘completely lost’ in Manchester.
Nicol explosively said: “They look absolutely lost. There is not a thing you can put your finger on and say that is a positive other than (Dominik) Szoboszlai.
“I think if Xabi Alonso agreed to go to Liverpool, they would let him go because they are in disarray. As bad as it has been for Arne Slot, somehow it is getting worse and worse when they step on the field. It’s hard not to ridicule them now, that’s how bad it is.
“You can see with the performances that they are lost. You know Slot is trying to help everyone and talk to them, but it looks like they have completely lost faith in him.
“They are in a position where there is a huge cloud over them and the only way you get rid of it is by making huge changes. It’s not by keeping the same guy in charge with the same players.
“You have to put a hand grenade in, blow it up and start again. I don’t believe you can do it with Arne Slot now. It was the nail in the coffin when I’m watching this team, it looks completely lost.”
In Nicol’s eyes, Liverpool would be best placed, right now, to ‘put a hand grenade in’ and start again, with Slot relieved of his duties, consequently.
This route does look rather far-fetched, however, as the one-time Premier League title winner has been given the dreaded vote of confidence, heading into next season.
Slot looks safe for now
Back in the middle of April, amid frenzied shouts that the one-time Feyenoord head coach should be sacked, Fenway Sports Group declared that Slot was the right man to lead the club into next season.
The 47-year-old will still feel the intense pressure of attempting to seal Liverpool’s place in the Champions League on his back, though, with three more games left of the Premier League season.
Clinching a spot around this exclusive table in Europe will buy him more time, you imagine, but if he were to somehow oversee a collapse outside of the top five, the Liverpool hierarchy would surely be tempted to explore a new manager coming in.
If it were up to Nicol, they’d have already given Slot the boot, with the defeat at United leaving an extremely bad taste in the mouth of the direct Scotsman.
