What FSG really think about sacking Arne Slot as Liverpool owners hatch summer plan
Arne Slot remains fully supported by Liverpool'shierarchy despite a disappointing first season in charge at Anfield. The Dutchman secured the Premier League title upon the first time of asking last campaign but has struggled to retain the same form this year.
Despite spending £446million in the summer, the Reds sit in fifth place in the Premier League table and have yet to get close to the heights they hit last season. Signings like Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez and Alexander Isak raised expectations last summer but the club have failed to impress in the league.
Slot has been under mounting pressure, with questions about his future at Anfield having been raised in some quarters following the difficulties of the current campaign. However, the Fenway Sports Group remains fully in touch with the Dutchman and believes he has been "dealt a difficult hand" over the current campaign.
The Athletic reports that the tragic loss of Diogo Jota in the summer affected the entire club deeply. The report also states the Liverpool hierarchy felt that Slot's handling of the heartbreaking situation showed "great leadership" and kept the squad bonded throughout.
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Serious injuries to the likes of Isak, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni have also been taken into consideration. This has been coupled with a decline in performance from key stars including Alexis Mac Allister and the departing Mohamed Salah.
The club's decision-makers are still placing their faith in Slot and believe he can turn things around. FSG are of the opinion that with more signings in the summer, the 47-year-old can get back to achieving success, similarly to how his predecessor Jurgen Klopp did in the 2023/24 season.
Despite calls for Slot's sacking, FSG are not planning to make a big decision and "start again" next season. The report adds Liverpool's hierarchy don't believe that the Dutchman is "effectively on trial" until the end of the campaign and have not placed any specific targets in order to remain at Anfield.
Club legend Steven Gerrard is of the same opinion and believes Slot requires more times to solve the problems within the team. Speaking on
"Jamie will tell you, Liverpool will demand, they expect to win it every year. I think he needs the opportunity to play his way out of trouble and fix the issues and try and get himself back in a good place.
"I think he did during that period a few months ago where they'd lost nine out of 12 and then they went on a run where he took them from 12th to fourth in the league. I think someone who has won a league deserves at least a full season to try and get out of the problems and issues that they've got, I'm certainly one of them.
"But, I have to understand what the fans are saying as well, because it has been dire on certain games and performances."
An FA Cup quarter-final win over Manchester City can win back plenty of support among the fanbase this weekend. The Reds will travel to the Etihad Stadium to face Pep Guardiola's side and could put an end to their dream of a domestic double with a first win against them this season.