WHY LIVERPOOL OWNERS (FSG) WON'T PANIC-HIRE ARNE SLOT REPLACEMENT
A top reporter suggests Liverpool's owners (FSG) will not replace Arne Slot with Jurgen Klopp due to past conflicts, data belief, and Klopp's Red Bull role. Slot's job is shaky.
A top reporter says Liverpool probably won't try to bring in another manager like Jurgen Klopp to replace Arne Slot if they decide to fire him.
Slot's job is getting shaky after losing nine of his last 12 games. Recently, they've lost three games in a row by three goals each. These were against teams they should have had a better chance of beating, which has raised concerns about his future.
Sources at Anfield say Slot is safe for now, but that could change if he doesn't turn things around soon. Some fans want Klopp to come back, even temporarily, to get Liverpool back on track.
But it sounds like a long shot. Sam Wallace, a chief football writer at the Daily Telegraph, says it would be sentimental and a bit desperate for Liverpool to try to get Klopp back.
Wallace points out three main reasons why Liverpool's owners, FSG, are unlikely to want Klopp back.
First, Klopp had disagreements with key people like Michael Edwards and Julian Ward in the past.
Edwards and Ward left Liverpool but have since returned in new roles after Klopp's departure in 2024. The owners might side with their current team now.
Wallace says that FSG president Mike Gordon, Edwards, Ward, and the others certainly won't want to go back to Klopp.
Second, FSG thinks managers can have slumps just like players. They're more likely to look at data that might support sticking with Slot (and their decision to pay £8 million to bring him in from Feyenoord last summer).
Finally, Klopp is currently working as the Head of Global Soccer for the Red Bull network of clubs.
So, even though Klopp recently said a Liverpool return was theoretically possible, it's very unlikely.
Arne Slot is still feeling the pressure.
Even though Klopp's return seems unlikely, Slot still needs to improve Liverpool's results, or he could lose his job.
Slot won the Premier League title last season, largely with the squad Klopp left behind, which buys him some time.
But everyone knows the current losing streak can't continue for long. TEAMtalk has learned that Liverpool is expected to win their next three games, and any mistakes could change things quickly.
One possible replacement for Slot could be Ange Postecoglou, who is still admired despite his recent short time with Nottingham Forest.
There have also been rumours about Luis Enrique, but he's currently managing Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning Champions League holders.
For now, Slot's job is still safe, but his position isn't as secure as it was a few months ago.
WHAT’S MISSING? WHY 16 GOALS AND 6 ASSISTS AREN'T ENOUGH FOR HUGO EKITIKE
Liverpool's top scorer Hugo Ekitike reflects on a massive win at Anfield and explains why he’s still hungry for more goals.
Hugo Ekitike isn’t exactly thrilled with his goal tally for Liverpool this season, even though he’s still leading the pack as the club’s top scorer.
He got his 16th goal of the season on Saturday, kicking things off in Liverpool’s 5-2 win over West Ham at Anfield. Not bad for his debut year. Plus, the 23-year-old, who came over from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer for up to £79 million, set up two more goals for Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo. That puts him at 22 goal involvements so far.
Still, Ekitike thinks he’s got a lot more to give. He missed solid chances against Nottingham Forest, Sunderland, and Manchester City recently, and that’s still bugging him.
“To be honest, I could score more,” he said. “I’m not that happy! But it’s not just about goals; it’s assists too. On Saturday, I set up one or two. As long as I’m helping the team and being involved, that’s what really matters. I want to win, so in that way, I’m happy.
“Obviously, I can improve. I could’ve scored in those last games; I had some good chances. So I’ll keep working. I want to be the best I can for the team, because I know I can do more.
“It’s all about learning and getting better. I’ll try to step it up in the next games, score more, and get involved even more.”
His goal against West Ham came after Liverpool kept the pressure on from a corner. Four of their goals that day came straight from, or just after, set pieces.
“We had some problems at the start of the season,” Ekitike said about Liverpool’s set-piece struggles. “We’ve all talked about it and worked on it together in training. It’s great to see it paying off now. We deserved it; honestly, we’ve put a lot of work into this.”
Saturday was the first of seven huge games in just over three weeks. Liverpool were up 3-0 at halftime, but West Ham didn’t just roll over; they made Liverpool work for it in the second half, fighting to stay out of the relegation zone.
Talking to liverpoolfc.com, Ekitike said, “Scoring early in games like that helps, for the team and for the fans. You feel more confident. And going in at halftime 3-0 up, that’s always good.
“But they showed it’s not over till it’s over, they fought back, and we let a couple in. When that happens, you have to score more, and we did. We got five.
“We’ve got to keep going, because there’s a long way left in the season. But yeah, I’m really happy. That win mattered.”
SURGICAL SECRETS: WHAT KIND OF OPERATION DID WATARU ENDO ACTUALLY HAVE THIS WEEK?
Endo surgery success: Get the latest from Hajime Moriyasu on Wataru’s World Cup opener goals and the Liverpool injury fallout today.
Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu says Liverpool’s Wataru Endo recently had surgery and now has his sights set on being fit for this summer’s World Cup. Endo got stretchered off with a foot injury during Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Sunderland back on February 11.
There’s still no clear timeline for Endo’s return. Liverpool boss Arne Slot did sound hopeful earlier, saying the Japan captain could play again before the season ends. But with Endo out, Slot’s now down to just four senior midfielders.
Moriyasu’s latest comments don’t really offer much hope for Liverpool fans wanting to see Endo back soon. Speaking to Nikkan Sports, he said Endo’s working toward being ready for Japan’s World Cup opener against the Netherlands on June 14, three days after the tournament starts.
“I’ve heard he had surgery and that it went well, but I don’t know the full details,” Moriyasu said. “The plan is to have him fit in time for the World Cup, so everyone’s focused on his rehab. He wants to play, the club wants it, and so do we. We’re all on the same page.”
Back on February 13, Slot told reporters that Endo would be out for a good while. “We still need to do some assessments, but he’ll be sidelined for quite a long time,” the 47-year-old said.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk admitted the whole squad is pretty down about Endo’s injury. “It’s a shame; we were all really gutted after the Sunderland game,” Van Dijk said. “I had a similar foot injury when I was at Southampton, and it’s tough to deal with. But we’re here for him; we’ll support him in any way we can.
“It’s not great, he’s such a key part of the team, a real leader. On the pitch, he gives everything, and you could see that in the game. It’s a big blow, but we have to deal with it, and we will. Hopefully he’s not out too long, but honestly, it looks like it’ll be a while.”
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