“He’s got a problem” – Jermaine Pennant explains why Arne Slot may now be under ‘added pressure’
Jermaine Pennant has explained why he believes Arne Slot has come under ‘added pressure’ at Liverpool in recent days despite the Reds’ 11-match unbeaten run.
When the reigning Premier League champions suffered three-goal Anfield humblings against Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven in November, there were suggestions from respected sources that the Dutchman may have had ‘one week to keep his job’.
The 47-year-old hasn’t tasted defeat since that nadir seven weeks ago, but discourse over a return to L4 for Xabi Alonso has amplified this week after the ex-LFC midfielder was sacked by Real Madrid.
Pennant: Alonso sacking brings ‘added pressure’ for Slot
Speaking on talkSPORT, Pennant believes that the Spaniard’s availability could spark renewed interest from the Liverpool hierarchy after he was initially believed to be the leading candidate to replace Jurgen Klopp in 2024.
Our former winger said of Alonso: “I think Liverpool were interested in him before when he was at Leverkusen, but he chose to go Real Madrid.
“I think this puts a little bit more added pressure on Arne Slot because I’m sure the board will be looking at this going, ‘OK, our man is now available who [was] probably our first choice’.
“Now if things don’t improve – this is just my personal opinion – I think that he’s got a problem until the end of the season to either turn this season around or to show the board why next season will be better.”
Slot deserves at least a few more months at Liverpool
Despite the abundant reporting around Alonso replacing Klopp two years ago, Slot later clarified that he wouldn’t have taken the Liverpool job unless he’d been their firm first-choice (The Guardian), and a comprehensive report from The Athletic outlined that the 47-year-old was objectively the standout candidate.
That isn’t to say that FSG wouldn’t seek to move for our former midfielder whenever the time comes to search for a successor to the incumbent head coach, but nor do we buy into the school of thought that the Dutchman is in immediate danger because of the Spaniard’s sacking by Real Madrid.
If the Reds finish inside the top four (and hopefully win a trophy) this season, at least Slot would have a decent platform from which to build for 2026/27 thanks to the riches that come with Champions League qualification.
However, should Liverpool miss out on Europe’s premier club competition and the revenue it brings, that could prompt the hierarchy to re-evaluate the 47-year-old’s position and maybe even pull the trigger on his reign at Anfield.
At a minimum, the Dutchman should be given the rest of this campaign to demonstrate that he remains the right man to deliver a repeat of the glory that he achieved in his first year in charge, irrespective of Alonso’s now-unemployed status.
You can watch Slot’s full post-Barnsley press conference below, via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:
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