Do Liverpool fans think Slot is under pressure?

Arne Slot has already cemented his place in Liverpool history.

The 47-year-old Reds manager is one of the iconic faces on a banner displayed on the Kop before every home game, alongside Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, Kenny Dalglish, Rafael Benitez and Jurgen Klopp - Liverpool managers who have won either a top-flight title or European Cup.

After winning the Premier League in his first season, and spending almost £450m on a new-look squad in the summer, it seemed as though Slot was going to carry on in the same fashion this season.

They started their title defence with five straight wins - albeit leaving it late at times - but have now gone over a month without a Premier League victory.

They sit seventh in the table, seven points behind leaders Arsenal, and were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, losing 3-0 at home to Crystal Palace.

After six defeats in their past seven games, BBC Sport spoke to Liverpool fans to find out what's going on this season and how they feel towards the manager.

Slot's squad selection for Wednesday's EFL Cup defeat by Crystal Palace sparked huge debate.

He made 10 changes from Liverpool's last outing, handing out two debuts and naming three teenagers in his starting line-up, plus a further five among his substitutes.

The likes of Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike were all absent as the Reds made a tame exit in a competition they have won twice in the past four seasons.

Liverpool fan Abigail Rudkin told BBC Sport she is disappointed by Slot's decision-making.

"Walking to the game last night, me and my dad got the team sheet and we were like 'he's sacrificed this'," she said. "I understand we are losing games at the moment but you need to try and get a winning mentality back.

"We are losing patience. I think there are two different sides of the fanbase at the minute.

There are those on social media that are calling on him to lose his job, and there are the people I see at the ground, like me, who are losing patience going to these games and not enjoying it as much with losing the games, but they also want to stay patient with him because we are very grateful to him for what we've had from last season when we thought it would all fall apart without Jurgen Klopp.

Jordan Chamberlain from Empire of the Kop said he will forgive Slot's team selection on Wednesday if Liverpool beat Aston Villa on Saturday.

"This is the one that matters," he said. "Then Real Madrid and Manchester City. If we get three negative results in the next week, then Slot's job will be genuinely under threat.

"But to suggest he should lose his job on the back of a match [against Palace, in which] he fielded players many fans haven't heard of is ludicrous.

Slot's been very poor and has made some horrible tactical choices this season that have restricted his best players and left us wide open. We've also had some bad luck and missed too many chances. It's football. He deserves time to turn it around and I back him to do so.

Fellow fan Ryan agreed it's "way too soon" to be talking about getting rid of Slot, but said players need to take responsibility and shoulder some of the blame too.

"We don't turn into a bad team overnight," he said. "But Slot doesn't help himself with some of his decisions - and that is what he can control.

"Liverpool operate differently and I can't see us cutting Slot and his staff so soon. However, results are what count, ultimately, and if things don't improve - and quickly - then we all know how the road ends.

The players have to step up too, by the way - it shouldn't all be on the manager. Some have been way, way below an acceptable standard for Liverpool.

Liverpool fan Josh Sexton - who contributes to The Anfield Wrap - told BBC Sport there are a multitude of reasons why this season's form has been suffering.

"Key players are out of form, a few players are struggling for fitness, or suffering from injury issues, and there is a lack of continuity from last season," he said.

"A lot of those continuity issues stem from the business done in the summer, most of which was necessary for one reason or another and I don't think many Liverpool fans would look back and say that they regret the departures of any players besides possibly Luis Diaz and the profile of the player that Trent Alexander-Arnold is - the emotion attached to that exit causes this supporter to not miss the man himself as such.

The variable within all of this is that one player we lost in the summer was lost in the most tragic of circumstances very unexpectedly, and there are more reasons than just footballing ones why that loss is absolutely immeasurable.

Sexton said the emotions of Mohamed Salah after Liverpool's first game against Bournemouth showed how Diogo Jota's death has impacted not only the players who were his team-mates, but also the new arrivals, who have come into a dressing room that has been hit hard by the loss of a close friend.

"The tributes from within the club and from the supporters serve as a constant celebration of the magnificent human being that we were lucky enough to call one of our own, but of course they can also stir up feelings of grief and loss which can't be easy to perform through at an elite level," he added.

"And yet that is exactly what Liverpool have to do with the target on their back as Premier League champions, and I've not noticed any drop in heads or performance per se when those vocal tributes have been paid (the song the fans sing in Jota's memory actually started later than 20 minutes against Manchester United as Cody Gakpo went through on goal and hit the post).

It will no doubt be having a general impact, but we'd all do well to remember everybody has their own grieving process and give each other the leeway to carry on despite such an unspeakable tragedy.

Earlier this month Liverpool captain Van Dijk addressed the fact that the club was mourning the death of Jota, who died in a car crash in July.

"It was always going to be a tough season," he said after a 2-1 defeat by Chelsea on 4 October.

"Nobody said that it was going to be plain sailing whatsoever.

It was always going to be ups and downs for multiple reasons that we shouldn't forget, and all we have to do is stick together.

Speaking on Radio 5 Live on Wednesday night, former Liverpool full-back Stephen Warnock said: "You've got a team that's mourning in that changing room. How do the new players integrate into that? It's a horrible situation.

"It has to have an effect. They are human beings.

"One thing I notice every time I come to Anfield or watch Liverpool play is the Diogo Jota song after 20 minutes goes up and there is a 5-10 min spell where the tempo drops completely.

"The players are hearing that song and your mind will wander in that moment to one of their friends and close colleagues. In the changing room his locker is still there, so you're sat with a constant reminder of that person you've lost and that can't be easy.

Some people will be able to put that to one side but for some it will weigh really heavy on their shoulders.

We asked if it is too soon to talk about Slot's job being under threat, or if change should not be ruled out.

Here are some of your comments:

Paschal: Just a lull Liverpool are going through. Slot will turn it around. Just a matter of putting the players in positions they are comfortable and happy to play in. Time to put Joe Gomez at right-back and give him a chance. Let the new players have time to settle in. Patience is needed - it will come right.

James: If Slot can't turn things around quickly then his position does need consideration. You can't make the financial commitment Liverpool have made and not see results. People continually mention transition and bedding in, but top, top players should hit the ground running - likewise managers.

Karl: He should be given more time. We aren't a knee-jerk reaction team. Everyone is still dealing with the loss of Diogo Jota, and then adding so many new players into the mix. He is still the right man for the job.

Barry: Lose the next three and I honestly feel something has to done before we fall too far behind for even a top-four spot.

Paul: To suggest Slot is in trouble would be akin to saying last season never happened! We are not, and never have been, a 'sacking club'. We leave desperation to others. The guy has earned a year at least to sort this new team out. The talent is clearly there, but they haven't clicked yet. Time, ladies and gentlemen, please.

Terry: Not sure Slot is the right man to get us out of trouble. We spent so much money on players and he doesn't seem to know how to play them. I think he's under pressure now, he needs to win games soon or he's gone.

Source: BBC
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