Carragher's Scathing Assessment After Liverpool Collapse
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has issued a stark warning, stating that manager Arne Slot's position is edging closer to becoming 'untenable' following another humiliating defeat. The Reds' alarming slump continued with a 4-1 thrashing by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday night, marking their ninth loss in just twelve matches.
A Deepening Crisis at Anfield
The pressure on Slot has intensified dramatically after a 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest was swiftly followed by the capitulation at Anfield against PSV. Despite the dismal run of form, which includes three consecutive losses by three-goal margins, reports from Mirror Football indicate that Slot's job is currently safe, though this precarious situation may not last much longer.
In a lengthy and emotional post-match analysis on CBS, Carragher directed his fury towards the players, demanding they 'step up' as the team's traditional leaders are faltering. He pinpointed a dramatic dip in form from the club's long-standing heroes: goalkeeper Alisson Becker, defender Virgil van Dijk, and forward Mohamed Salah.
The Core of the Problem: Fading Legends
'Liverpool is not a sacking club,' Carragher asserted, highlighting the club's history of patience with managers. 'But it does get to a stage, with any manager at any club, where I always use this word 'untenable', where it can't go on any longer. I'm not quite there yet, personally, in terms of the manager, but I know a lot of supporters will be.'
Carragher elaborated on his worrying theory, connecting the current crisis to the decline of the players who were the catalyst for the club's past successes under Jurgen Klopp. 'Alisson is injured a lot now so he doesn't play so much,' he said. 'But you're watching Van Dijk now - not the same player. And Mo Salah looks like his legs have gone.'
While expressing reluctance to criticise the 'absolute legends', Carragher was blunt in his assessment. 'Van Dijk now can't help other players. He needs help himself. And that just means he's a normal centre-back... And maybe he's not super-human right now.'
His frustration was palpable as he questioned the squad's depth and character. 'They've been that good for the football club that I look at some of the others: step up! Can you only play well when they play well, or when they carry you?... When they're not there, where are the others?'
Carragher also expressed disappointment in Salah's off-pitch leadership, stating he wanted the Egyptian to address the supporters directly to give them hope. This performance, he fears, is a 'snapshot of the future of Liverpool' when its iconic stars eventually move on.
