“He’s not afraid” – Former Liverpool defender backs Arne Slot

Former Liverpool defender backs Arne Slot despite poor season

After winning the Premier League title in his debut season and spending a record-breaking £450m on new signings in the summer, expectations were high for Arne Slot and Liverpool this season.

Now we’re halfway through the season and it’s fair to say that his side have fallen short of those expectations, currently sitting 4th in the table and already out of the title race.

In fairness, they have put together an eleven-game unbeaten run across all competitions, so there are some signs of improvement.

Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock, speaking to EPL Index, has defended Slot and actually praised for a few areas of his management so far this season…

Warnock praises Slot

Whilst things on the pitch haven’t been perfect, Warnock was keen to praise Slot for his handling of situations off the pitch.

“I really liked how he handled the Salah situation, he did really well there,” said Warnock. “He showed that he is in charge and isn’t afraid to make those big decisions.”

“Of course, on the pitch it hasn’t been ideal with them dropping points against teams they should be beating,” continued Warnock. “But even the great Jurgen Klopp teams would drop points to sides lower down the table, it can happen.”

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Despite the poor form so far this season, there is still hope for the rest of the season. Liverpool’s 4-1 win over Barnsley saw them progress into the FA Cup Fourth Round, where they will face Brighton at Anfield.

Slot’s side also still have the possibility of going far in the Champions League. As it stands, they face a fight to make it into the top eight in the league phase and will likely need to beat both Marseille and Qarabag to avoid a play-off tie.

But the biggest priority, especially for Slot, will be securing Champions League football for next season. With Chelsea and Manchester United both making managerial changes, they will be hoping to put more pressure on the Reds in the second half of the season.