Exclusive: John Barnes shares his thoughts on Arne Slot’s future at Liverpool

Exclusive: John Barnes shares his thoughts on Arne Slot’s future at Liverpool

Liverpool’s defeat to AFC Bournemouth on Saturday saw them move down to sixth in the Premier League table, with rivals Manchester United and Chelsea moving above them.

With that comes immense pressure on head coach Arne Slot, with many fans completely losing patience with the Dutchman.

Just five wins in their last 18 Premier League games shows that this is far more than just a blip and that there’s serious problems in the club.

Xabi Alonso’s departure from Real Madrid hasn’t helped the speculation, with the former Liverpool midfielder heavily linked with a return to Anfield.

Liverpool legend John Barnes, speaking exclusively to Anfield Index, shared his thoughts on the managerial situation…

Barnes backs Slot

When asked about Slot’s future at the club, Barnes remained fully behind the Dutchman saying: 

“I can see Slot remaining at Liverpool for the next two or three years at least – probably even longer.”

“The only way I see Xabi Alonso returning to the club is if he waits and Slot leaves the club in the next two years, which I don’t think he will.”

“Alonso will likely take a job in the summer and embark on a project elsewhere. Anything can happen in football, but I wouldn’t consider it a possibility in the short term.”

Photo: IMAGO

Looking Ahead

Despite only picking up 21 points from their last 18 league games, Barnes still believes that Slot is the man to lead Liverpool forward.

The next few games could be huge in determining whether that will be the case. A win against Qarabag would confirm Liverpool’s place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

After that, they face Newcastle United at Anfield on Saturday. With Eddie Howe’s side now just three points behind the Reds, that will be a huge game for Liverpool’s top five hopes.

Tricky clashes with Manchester City and Sunderland follow and should Liverpool’s struggles continue across this run, the pressure facing Slot will become immeasurable.