Emile Heskey has admitted he would not be surprised if Liverpool decided to part ways with manager Arne Slot in the near future. The former Reds striker, who made 223 appearances for the club, has reversed his previous stance in which he urged the club to stand by the Dutchman.
Disappointing Title Defence
Liverpool's Premier League title defence has fallen well short of expectations this season. Despite spending approximately £450 million during the summer transfer window, Slot's side have ended the campaign without any silverware. They will now have to settle for a top-five league finish, and even that remains uncertain with a crucial clash against Aston Villa on the horizon. The pressure is gradually mounting on the 48-year-old manager.
Heskey's Change of Heart
Speaking on In The Mixer brought to you by Sky Bet, Heskey said: "Look, it's difficult to sack someone off the back of winning the league. It's difficult. But when you've spent that sort of money and the football is not quite where you believe it should be... To lose that many games in a season as well. It's tough. It's a tough watch."
He added: "I wouldn't be surprised if they did it (sacked Slot) in the sense that there are managers out there that could probably fit the system that they want. It's been a tough season. The style of play, everything, just seems laboured at times. I don't know if it's laboured or it's just a slow approach. It's so tiki-taka when we've been so used to gung-ho, rock and roll, go and run through players. You miss certain things when they've gone, too. For me, [Sadio] Mane and then you had Luis Diaz come in and now he's gone."
This represents a significant shift from just a few months ago, when the former striker called on Liverpool to support their boss and give him time to turn things around instead of "ridiculously" sacking him.
Slot's Response to Rumours
Slot has tackled the rumours surrounding his future. When asked last month whether he thinks he can regain the supporters' trust following a disappointing campaign, he responded: "Yeah, I do. Not this season, by the way. This season they have their opinion and it will not change. But if we can have the summer we are planning to have... I am 100 per cent convinced we will be a different team next season than we are now. Different in terms of results, different in how things look."
Heskey's comments come as Liverpool prepare for a crucial run-in, with the club's hierarchy reportedly considering their options. Whether Slot remains at the helm beyond this season remains to be seen, but the pressure is undoubtedly on.
