Former Manchester United coach backs Arne Slot to continue as Liverpool boss
Liverpool have struggled to maintain consistency this campaign and have yet to secure Champions League qualification with one game remaining
Former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen has offered strong support for Arne Slot to remain in charge of Liverpool FC next season, despite growing pressure following a disappointing title defence.
Liverpool have struggled to maintain consistency this campaign and have yet to secure Champions League qualification with one game remaining, leading to increased scrutiny of Slot’s tactical approach.
“They’ve obviously been disappointed but they have to be careful,” Meulensteen said. “You have to realise last year they won the league in great fashion.
“I maintain that, I don’t move away from that, because I said I think Slot will do a great job because I know him, I like him, I like his thoughts about football.
“Sometimes managers go through a little bit of a poor spell. Then the key is to stick with him and to make sure he can put it right. I mean, Jurgen Klopp had a spell where they really couldn’t get it going because they had all this mental and physical fatigue. Don’t read too much into it.
“The key is the people behind (the scenes) are fully supportive of the manager and they believe he’s the right man.
“He’s got a transfer window to make sure he now brings in players to bring back Liverpool to what it was. And then the start of the season is so obviously important.”
The criticism intensified after recent comments from Mohamed Salah, which were widely interpreted as a call for a return to the club’s former “heavy metal football” style under Jürgen Klopp.
Meulensteen, however, believes external factors have also played a key role in Liverpool’s dip, pointing to a disrupted squad and a difficult transfer window.
He argued that last summer’s failed pursuit of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, reported to be worth around £125million, contributed to the club’s struggles, alongside a long list of injuries affecting key players.
Speaking to BOYLE Sports, who offer the latest World Cup odds, he said: “Hard to put a finger on it, but definitely the Isak saga has played a role. They haven’t found the same sort of fluidity.
“I think Slot has built massively on Jurgen Klopp when he came in, and rightly so. He made the players adjust to this (his style) and (said to them) keep doing what you’re doing because you’ve been successful. They were so dynamic, so energetic.
“However, at some point, they’ve flipped too much to the other side because they’ve gone a little bit too slow, too laboured, the possession and everything.
“So that whole energetic, intense, dynamic style Klopp had has disappeared. And they’ve not realised it, I think. And then obviously they’ve got a lot of injuries and whatever that comes with it.”
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