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Arne Slot will be more than happy to see the back of October after a month to forget for him and Liverpool.
Wednesday’s defeat to Crystal Palace saw the Reds knocked out of the Carabao Cup as they fell to a sixth defeat in their last seven games. It’s a run that actually started at the end of September, with just a single win coming throughout the whole of this month.
It’s the sort of form that makes discussions over the head coach’s future inescapable. Although Liverpool might not be considering firing Slot, that isn’t going to stop pundits and fans speculating until he turns things around at Anfield.
Although there is no talk internally at the moment, Slot could be in for some very awkward conversations soon.
Sporting director Richard Hughes was adamant that the Dutchman was the right man to lead Liverpool following Jurgen Klopp’s transformative reign, and for the best part of a year, it seemed he was right.
The last month or so has raised plenty of questions though, and Slot may well need to provide some answers to his employers. The Reds’ boss revealed last year that he is in regular contact with Hughes, while he will also occasionally speak to Michael Edwards and the club’s owners.
"[Contact] is not on a daily basis but it is the same every month," Slot said last year.
"I have had a very good relationship from the start with Richard, which is one of the reasons why I loved to join the club.
"I have talked about the fans and the players we have, but if the relationship with the sporting director is not the best you will not go — but it was the contrary of that because I had a good feeling from the start about the person and definitely about the professional.
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"It is the same with Michael Edwards and everyone, but the main one I communicate with is Richard. Of course, sometimes there is a bit of contact with the others (FSG) but there is a clear hierarchy and I speak mostly to Richard."
Slot’s task doesn’t get any easier, and having received criticism for fielding a significantly weakened squad against Palace on Wednesday, the pressure to pick up a win this weekend has been amped up.
Liverpool hosts Aston Villa next on Saturday, before a huge tie against Real Madrid - and, of course, Trent Alexander-Arnold - on Tuesday, with a trip to Manchester City following on November 9 before the international break, at which point fans will want their side to have got their season back on track.
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