Steve McManaman insists it is ‘far too early’ to question Arne Slot’s future at Liverpool – despite the Reds’ dismal form continuing with an embarrassing 4-1 home defeat by PSV.
The Dutch side heaped further pressure on Slot as they dealt Liverpool a ninth defeat in 12 matches on another chastening night at Anfield.
But McManaman believes Slot’s position should not be called into doubt unless their woeful results continue beyond their clash with Arsenal in mid-January.
‘I personally think “no”, the ex-Liverpool star said on TNT Sports when asked about Slot’s future.
‘I think it’s far too early to come up with a question like that. They’d have to go out of the Champions League and be wallowing near the bottom of the league.
‘They play Arsenal second week of January, that’s when the question should be asked. They’ll be halfway through the season by then.’
Liverpool were thrashed 4-1 by PSV to heap further pressure on under-fire boss Arne Slot
Former Liverpool star Steve McManaman insists it is too early for questions to be asked about Slot’s future
Ex-Reds captain Steven Gerrard added: ‘That’s the world we live in. I’ve been in that position myself.
‘You understand there are going to be serious questions asked That comes with the territory, that’s life especially at the top end.’
Liverpool have now suffered the most defeats over a 12-game spell since November 1953 to January 1954. They have also lost three consecutive games by a margin of three goals for the first time since December 1953.
Slot’s side got off to the worst possible start against PSV as Virgil van Dijk’s bizarre handball five minutes in gifted the visitors a penalty that was converted by Ivan Perisic.
Dominik Szoboszlai levelled 10 minutes later but it was a fleeting moment of joy for Slot and his team as they collapsed in shocking second half.
Guus Til put the Eredivisie side ahead early in the second half before Couhaib Driouech’s double compounded the misery for Liverpool.
‘After we conceded the first one, we saw a reaction I want to see,’ Slot said. ‘The mentality I saw afterwards was what I was hoping it to be. Even after 2-1, we kept trying to make it 2-1. End result is 4-1 and that’s a big loss.
‘I liked how we reacted in transition in the first half. It felt like Hugo [Ekitike] couldn’t move like he could in the first half and that’s why he couldn’t press as he did in the first half.
The Reds have now been beaten in nine of their last 12 matches, their worst run for 71 years
‘The only way to go is to go through now. We need to face where we’re in and fight really hard. The feeling I have is that after 45 minutes, you don’t expect to be 1-1, you expect to be up. The reaction of the players is what you expect from a Liverpool player.’
The Reds, 12th in the Premier League and 11 points behind leaders Arsenal, return to action away at West Ham on Sunday.
