Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has publicly advised Steven Gerrard to prepare for a potential return to Liverpool as interim manager, as pressure intensifies on current head coach Arne Slot.
Ferdinand's Qatar Conversation with Gerrard
Ferdinand disclosed the conversation took place while both were in Qatar attending the Formula 1 Grand Prix. Speaking on his Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the former defender stated he told his former England colleague to "sharpen your tools" in anticipation of a call from Anfield.
"I was saying to him over some food the other day, 'Listen, you need to sharpen your tools mate. Sharpen your tools, get them ready, because you could be going back in as interim boss'," Ferdinand revealed.
He justified his warning by pointing to Liverpool's difficult run of form and the packed fixture schedule, suggesting Slot might not survive the mounting pressure from supporters.
Liverpool's Form and Slot's Precarious Position
The context for Ferdinand's remarks is Liverpool's dramatic dip in performance. Prior to a 2-0 victory over West Ham United on Sunday 1st December, the reigning Premier League champions had suffered a dismal run.
The Reds had lost nine of their previous twelve matches, including heavy defeats to Manchester City, Nottingham Forest, and PSV Eindhoven. Across those three losses alone, Liverpool conceded a staggering ten goals.
The low point saw fans booing after the final whistle of the 4-1 defeat to Dutch side PSV Eindhoven. Although the win at the London Stadium lifted Liverpool to eighth and within three points of the top four, scrutiny on Slot remains severe.
Contrasting Views from Anfield Legends
While Ferdinand floated the idea of a Gerrard homecoming, Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher has strongly dismissed the speculation. Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, Carragher emphasised the club's historical reluctance to sack a title-winning manager and questioned the logic of an interim appointment.
"The idea of Liverpool changing the manager who won the league, Liverpool have never done that," Carragher stated. "Then, who do you get? The idea of an interim manager just feels like, who and how?"
Carragher, while acknowledging Gerrard's legendary status and his success at Rangers, believes most fans are still desperate for Slot to succeed despite the poor run.
A Clash of Club Philosophies
The differing perspectives from Ferdinand and Carragher highlight the contrasting recent histories of Manchester United and Liverpool in handling managerial transitions.
Since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013, Manchester United have frequently turned to club legends like Ryan Giggs, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Michael Carrick in interim roles. In contrast, Liverpool have only appointed a caretaker manager four times in their 133-year history.
Those temporary appointments were Ronnie Moran (twice), Kenny Dalglish, and Phil Thompson, each during genuine emergencies such as health issues or unexpected departures.
Ferdinand's suggestion that Gerrard could "steady the ship" mirrors a strategy employed at Old Trafford, but one largely foreign to the Anfield hierarchy, underscoring the fundamental philosophical divide between the two rival clubs.
