Liverpool Owners Face Decision on Slot Amid Fan Revolt and Poor Form

Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group confront a familiar choice. The reigning Premier League champions have hit an alarming decline, and fan discontent grows. FSG must determine head coach Arne Slot's fate.

Slot has lost support from many fans. Former Liverpool and England midfielder Danny Murphy told BBC Sport he expects the Dutch coach to leave within months.

The owners faced this before. In 2015, Brendan Rodgers endured similar fan backlash. Liverpool finished sixth, 25 points behind champions Chelsea, after a 6-1 loss at Stoke City. Rodgers lacked Slot's credit from last season's title win.

FSG, led by principal owner John W. Henry and chairman Tom Werner, considered sticking with Rodgers, who nearly won the title in 2014. They kept him but rebuilt the backroom staff.

Rodgers received big spending. Liverpool signed Christian Benteke from Aston Villa for £32.5 million and Roberto Firmino from Hoffenheim for £29 million. Firmino became a club great. They recouped £49 million from Raheem Sterling's sale to Manchester City.

The plan failed. Rodgers was sacked in early October and replaced by Jurgen Klopp. That launched a successful era. Liverpool won the Champions League in 2019 and the league title in 2020, the first in three decades.

FSG now faces the same question. Will they back Slot after a £450 million transfer outlay last summer, or cut losses for a new start?

No signs show FSG planning to dismiss Slot. But Liverpool fans' voices grow louder against him. Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to Chelsea unfolded in a toxic Anfield atmosphere.

Former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso now tops fan wishes. Alonso remains popular after a strong Anfield career. He won the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen as manager, then had a brief stint at Real Madrid.

Murphy sees Slot's exit as a matter of when, not if, amid the fan revolt.

Murphy said Slot interviewed him for a coaching role in Rodgers' reshaped staff before the sacking. Former teammate Gary McAllister got the job.

"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," Murphy told BBC Sport.

"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."

The mood recalls Roy Hodgson's 2010-11 stint and Rodgers' final months, though then it was resignation, not 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 draws Chelsea interest too. But Murphy urges Liverpool to aim higher for Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique, on track for a second straight Champions League.

"My only concern with Alonso is more to do with style," Murphy said. "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 sympathizes with Slot after summer changes. "Nobody wants that many changes when you've just won the title."

He had to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz. Mohamed Salah declined unexpectedly and challenged Slot publicly, though Slot gave him extra chances before benching him.

Diogo Jota's death added tragedy. The team looked off from the start.

"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," Murphy said.

"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."

Slot's main challenge is regaining fans, lost quickly this season.

"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," he said.

"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 warns FSG against repeating 2015 by keeping Slot.

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

"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."