Liverpool told fearless manager is best of four targets as ‘shocking’ Arne Slot must be sacked
Former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant thinks Arne Slot has to be sacked this summer, and he has praised Andoni Iraola as Fenway Sports Group (FSG) reportedly consider four potential replacements.
Slot believes he has the full backing of FSG ahead of next season, but there is unrest among both the fanbase and players. Liverpool hit a new low on Friday as they were easily beaten 4-2 at Aston Villa.
The manner of the loss saw Mohamed Salah post a bombshell statement on social media, where he complained about the team ‘crumbling to yet another defeat’ and said their ‘heavy metal’ style ‘cannot be negotiable’.
Salah claimed Slot ‘threw me under the bus’ earlier this season, and many have seen this statement as the Anfield icon throwing his manager under the bus in return.
Pennant blasted Slot on talkSPORT, urging Liverpool chiefs to bring in a new manager who can get the team back to their brilliant best.
“If the board thinks that this is the guy to stay in charge, then something’s wrong with the board,” he said.
READ: Liverpool chief will live or die by bizarre Xabi Alonso decision
“Everyone can see this Liverpool team, see that they broke almost every single record which is not good – the most goals conceded, the most losses ever in a campaign, you name it.
“The stats are shocking.”
Pennant continued: “What he [Salah] is saying is stating the obvious. And if the board ultimately think that next season is going to be any different…
“I’m just shocked, because personally, I don’t see how [things will change].
“Are they going to spend another £450million, half a billion to bring in some more players?
“It’s down to philosophy, the way Liverpool play, how to play. They’re playing like a mid-table team – they just sit back, they wait for teams to come onto them. There’s no threat going forward, they’re not aggressive.
READ MORE: Liverpool should sack Arne Slot and here are a full 20 reasons why
“So you’ve built a great machine and then all of a sudden you change these same cogs in that machine and expect to get the right output. It’s just not going to work.”
Our friends at TEAMtalk revealed on Monday that Iraola, Sebastian Hoeness, Julian Nagelsmann and Matthias Jaissle could all be contacted by Liverpool if Slot is axed.
Pennant thinks Iraola would be a fantastic appointment.
“What he’s done for Bournemouth was great,” the pundit added.
Iraola eyed as Liverpool ‘concerned’ by decline
“And I’m sure if he had some better players at his disposal, maybe he would get a good tune out of them.
“Because you watch Bournemouth, they went to Arsenal [and won 2-1], they didn’t look like they were scared. They were in their faces, made it difficult, and came away with the three points.
“And that’s what you need to be when you’re a big team.”
Transfer insider Graeme Bailey has told TEAMtalk that Liverpool chiefs Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes are set to hold vital talks over Slot’s suitability.
“Edwards and Hughes have some serious thinking and talking to do,” Bailey explained.
“The situation with Slot is escalating at a pace, and I can tell you not everyone internally is aligned behind the idea that he should definitely stay.
“Liverpool are not a club that reacts emotionally or impulsively, but the ownership absolutely recognise this is becoming a very concerning situation.
“I’m told Salah’s comments hit home in a massive way. Internally, there’s actually a lot of sympathy towards what he said, and people at the club understand why he voiced those frustrations.”
READ NEXT: Arne Slot next? Ranking the five post-title managerial sackings from fair to harsh as f***
