Joe Cole questions whether one manager could change FSG's Liverpool stance on Arne Slot

Slot

Joe Cole believes Arne Slot deserves to keep his job as Liverpool head coach after a difficult second season in charge at Anfield - but the availability of one man makes him question whether that will pan out.

Slot led Liverpool to the Premier League title in his debut campaign after replacing Jurgen Klopp and hopes were high of further success after a summer spending spree that saw the club break its transfer record twice with the arrivals of the £125m Alexander Isak and the £116m Florian Wirtz.

But Isak has been one of a number of key first-team players to have sustained serious injuries in a season that began on a devastating low with the passing of Diogo Jota.

The Reds did manage to start the campaign well on the pitch, recovering from the Community Shield penalty shoot-loss to Crystal Palace by winning their opening seven games in all competitions.

But a run of nine defeats in the 13 matches that followed effectively ended their hopes of retaining their Premier League crown and, while the defending champions look set to qualify for the Champions League, Saturday's 1-1 home draw with Chelsea was accompanied by boos from supporters at the final whistle.

That has led to fresh questions over the future of Slot, who has retained the backing of owners FSG across the course of what has been a very testing season.

Cole, the ex-Liverpool midfielder, says the Dutchman merits that backing.

But he thinks the fact that former Anfield favourite Xabi Alonso is a free agent following his departure from Real Madrid in January could give the powers that be something to think about.

Cole, who spent one full season on Merseyside after winning multiple honours at Chelsea, said on TNT Sports after Saturday's stalemate: "He definitely deserves it.

“Jurgen Klopp's shadow is on this club because he was loved by the fans. I don't think there was a better connection in world football between the manager and the fans - the players as well, they seemed like they loved him.”

"But Slot won the league last year and that's got to count. There have been a lot of circumstances happened around it (this season) so he does deserve (time) but sometimes in football you don't get what you deserve.

"The thing is... Xabi Alonso is available, and you look at the players here, and the way that they play, the Liverpool board might think of moving (Slot on).

"I don't think he deserves it personally but it's a unique situation because Xabi was such a big player here, and he's an impressive young manager, and you might not get another chance to get him."

Liverpool return to action on Friday night at Aston Villa (8pm kick-off), where victory for either side will secure Champions League football.

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