McCoist shares ‘gut feeling’ in early Liverpool title prediction under Arne Slot
Ally McCoist doesn’t think Liverpool will be challenging for the Premier League title next season under new manager Arne Slot.
Jurgen Klopp said his goodbye to the Reds supporters on Sunday as Liverpool closed the season with a 2-0 victory over Wolves.
Widespread reports had linked Feyenoord boss Slot as Klopp’s successor and Liverpool officially confirmed on Monday that the Dutchman will take over from the German ahead of next season.
With Michael Edwards returning to the club as FSG’s CEO of football and Richard Hughes appointed as sporting director, there is set to be change in the summer.
And Rangers legend McCoist doubts that Liverpool currently have the players in their squad to challenge for the Premier League title next season under new boss Slot.
McCoist said on talkSPORT: “I don’t think Liverpool will be fighting for the title next season, I’ve just got a gut feeling. I’m just not sure the younger ones are ready to come up and grab the mantle and carry on again. They fell away a little bit [this season] after a magnificent effort.
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“Liverpool fell away and there was that midweek defeat at Everton. There were just little signs there that I’m not sure they have the consistency required to win the league and challenge right at the top next year.”
Host Jeff Stelling added: “Great squad but whether it’s quite at the level of Arsenal and Manchester City is debatable.”
Before McCoist continued: “There are question marks over whether people like Salah stay. They might all stay, and they might add to it, you don’t know. Massive club, wonderful support and they will, without doubt, get behind the new manager.”
Darwin Nunez is one of several players who can improve next season and when asked if Slot can get the most out of the Liverpool striker, Danny Murphy told talkSPORT: “It depends if Salah stays or goes as well.
“If Salah goes, they’ll bring another person in, someone’s going to have to step up and get 25 goals. I wouldn’t sell Salah unless he’s saying, ‘I want to go’.
“It depends on the amount. He’s 31 years old, £100million comes in and he wants to go, he’s got to go.”
When asked who could replace Mohamed Salah if he is sold in the summer, Murphy added: “If I got £100million for Salah, I’d give the £100million to Palace and take Olise and Eze, I’d get two for the price of one.”
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