Liverpool owners face dilemma - stick or twist with Slot?

Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group face a familiar dilemma. As the reigning Premier League champions continue to suffer an alarming decline, and fan discontent rises, FSG must decide what to do about head coach Arne Slot.

Slot has lost the faith of many supporters, with former Liverpool and England midfielder Danny Murphy telling BBC Sport it is a conundrum he feels will end with the Dutchman's departure within months.

The owners have been here before. It was in 2015 that Brendan Rodgers – without the credit in the bank Slot accumulated with last season's title triumph – suffered the same fate among Liverpool's fanbase as they ended the season with a humiliating 6-1 loss at Stoke City to finish sixth, 25 points behind champions Chelsea.

FSG, led by principal owner John W Henry and chairman Tom Werner, had to decide whether to stick or twist with the manager who almost brought the Premier League title back to Anfield in 2014, eventually keeping faith with Rodgers but with a rebuilt backroom staff.

Rodgers was backed with big money to sign players of the calibre of Christian Benteke from Aston Villa for £32.5m and Roberto Firmino from Hoffenheim for £29m, who went on to be a Liverpool great, while recouping £49m from the sale of Raheem Sterling to Manchester City.

The ploy failed as Rodgers was sacked in early October, replaced by Jurgen Klopp. It was the start of a new era of success. Liverpool won the Champions League in 2019, and the following year, a first Premier League title for three decades.

So what will FSG do now? Will they keep faith and bankroll a head coach who was backed with a £450m transfer outlay last summer, or cut their losses to make a fresh start?

There are currently no indications that FSG are planning to part with Slot, but the voices of Liverpool supporters are rising in volume against him. Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to Chelsea was played out in an atmosphere of toxicity rarely heard at Anfield.

Now former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso is the name on the lips of the Kop. Alonso a hugely popular figure with them following a stellar Anfield career, having won the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen before a short spell in the dysfunction of Real Madrid.

Murphy believes Slot's departure is now purely a case of when rather than if, given the increasing revolt in the stands.

Murphy revealed that he was interviewed by Rodgers for a role in that last reshaped coaching team before the manager was sacked, the job eventually going to former team-mate Gary McAllister.

He told BBC Sport: "Slot has won a title, which Brendan didn't do, so on the surface it would make more sense to stick with him, and I do feel strongly it is unfair to say he only won the title with Klopp's team. That's just not right.

"The problem Slot has got, especially at one of the biggest clubs in the world, is that when the fanbase turns, you are really, really struggling to get them back unless you win every game, then not just win, but win in a style Liverpool fans expect and demand.

"This season you have seen Liverpool being dictated to by the way other teams play at Anfield. Fair enough, it's different away from Anfield, but at home you expect Liverpool to be going after you, not giving you time to breathe. Too often it's not been like that."

It has led to a mutinous mood not seen since Roy Hodgson's six months at Liverpool in 2010-11, then in the latter months with Rodgers in charge, although that was a climate of resignation rather than revolt.

Murphy added: "It's a great point to make the comparison with Rodgers and Slot, because there needs to be someone who's in the wings and available who can take the reins now.

"Is there a suitable candidate who can move them forward? The obvious name out there is Xabi Alonso, who is available. He has got popularity, which is key because it gives you a few months' grace. It also means everybody starts the season in a good place with a lot of energy."

Alonso is emerging as a potential target for Chelsea, but Murphy believes Liverpool should be even more ambitious and target Paris St-Germain coach Luis Enrique, currently on course for a second successive Champions League.

"My only concern with Alonso is more to do with style," said Murphy. "He struggled with man-management at Real Madrid but that's a small concern.

"The gut feeling is that he likes possession with the Spanish mentality, but maybe I'm doing him an injustice because he played at Liverpool. He understands what the fans want. He also has the advantage of previously working with Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong at Leverkusen.

"If Alonso is a small risk, like anybody, you then ask is he still better than the situation they're in? Unfortunately for Slot, I feel the answer is 'yes'."

Murphy has sympathy for Slot, especially after the churn of signings in the summer, saying: "Nobody wants that many changes when you've just won the title.

"He had to replace players of the quality of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz. There has also been Mohamed Salah's decline, which no-one saw coming. Salah then publicly challenged Slot's authority, even though he gave him more time than he deserved before leaving him out.

"There was the tragedy of Diogo Jota's death, we must not forget that, and on the pitch it has not looked right from day one.

"I think that boils down to the simple fact that the new players have found it difficult to cope with the pressure of playing for Liverpool.

"If you take Hugo Ekitike out, the rest have struggled. Alexander Isak has been injured. Florian Wirtz is a real talent, but has not produced enough goals, or enough creatively."

Murphy believes Slot's biggest difficulty is winning back the support of Liverpool's fans, which has been rapidly lost this season.

He said: "I just don't see a situation, irrelevant of transfer ins and outs - and there are going to be a lot in the summer - where the fans get back to being 100% behind Slot.

"For that to happen he will have to go on a run like he did in the first season, where he basically won every game. He then has to play in a certain way that Liverpool fans expect.

"I think Slot's time is probably up. The main reason for saying this is not a dislike of him. I think he's a good guy and a very bright coach, but the reality is Liverpool's fanbase is as powerful as any out there, for all sorts of reasons. We know how strong they are in fighting the cause over tickets and other issues, not just the manager.

"I don't remember a time when the fans turned on a manager then turned it back around."

Murphy also feels FSG run the risk of falling behind should they follow the Rodgers template from 2015 and keep Slot in place.

He said: "What you're doing then is taking the huge risk of banking on starting next the season amazingly well, with everything going brilliantly.

"I think that's unlikely, especially with the changes that are going to happen, so you're then behind 'the eight ball' because you might have to take a decision when everyone else is kicking on.

"I think we are looking at an inevitable departure whether it is now or a few months into the season."