Arne Slot's relationship with Richard Hughes as Liverpool future clear

Arne Slot has faced increasing pressure amid Liverpool's poor Premier League form, but the Reds' boss is said to still retain the backing of those inside Anfield

Arne Slot reportedly still retains the backing of sporting director Richard Hughes at Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)

Arne Slot still retains the backing of the Anfield hierarchy, despite the Liverpool boss coming under increasing pressure for his job.

Although the Reds eased into the last-16 of the Champions League on Wednesday, the heat has been turned up on Slot again recently amid the continued poor form in the Premier League.

Defeat to Bournemouth last weekend means Liverpool has picked up just four points from the last five league games, while it has won only five of its last 18 league outings. Club legend Steven Gerrard summed up the growing discontent among supporters as he suggested that some fans “have had enough”.

Slot hasn’t helped himself with some of his recent comments either, with the Liverpool boss facing criticism after suggesting being knocked out of Europe by Paris Saint-Germain last season might have aided the Reds’ title push.

The Dutchman’s plight hasn’t been made any easier by growing speculation over a return to Anfield for Xabi Alonso, who was fired by Real Madrid earlier this month.

Nevertheless, The Athletic reports that Slot still retains the backing inside Anfield, and the Liverpool boss is “not on the brink”.

Arne Slot has come under pressure amid Liverpool's poor Premier League form(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

The club is said to have no intention of following the lead of Manchester United and Chelsea after the dismissals of Ruben Amorim and Enzo Maresca. What’s more, Slot’s relationship with Richard Hughes remains strong, with the club’s sporting director’s belief in the Dutchman remaining after he led the search for Jurgen Klopp’s successor.

The report backs up Gerrard’s own take on Slot’s position, with the former Liverpool captain having given some insight into Hughes and FSG chief Michael Edwards’ thinking.

“I think he’s under pressure, for sure,” Gerrard told TNT Sports. "I think there’s large sections of the Liverpool fans that are very frustrated, I think some have had enough.

“I think his pressure is more external - media and supporters that are not happy with the form Liverpool are in from a league point of view.

“I think internally it’ll be different. I think Liverpool have got extremely strong owners, fantastic owners. I think they’d want to give the manager on the back of last season, and any manager for that point, as much support, and they’d want to be extremely strong for Arne Slot during this tough time, and try and give him the opportunity to get the team out of it and fix the issues that they’ve got.

“I think also, knowing Richard Hughes a little bit and Michael Edwards a bit more, they would want to be strong and rally around the manager.

“I think that’s what Liverpool have done historically, they’re not really a club that makes a lot of changes, so I think the pressure’s more external than internal.”