Gary Neville issues verdict on Liverpool firing Arne Slot after hearing 'murmurs'

Gary Neville has urged Liverpool supporters to "forget" any speculation about Arne Slot potentially losing his job following a disappointing run of form.

The Reds kicked off the season in style, clinching victory in their first five matches on the spin - but now find themselves languishing in 11th place in the league, trailing Arsenal, the current leaders, by 11 points.

Despite winning their opening five games, Liverpool's performances left much to be desired. It squandered a 2-0 lead against Bournemouth in just over 10 minutes before managing to secure a win. Last-minute goals saved it against Newcastle and Burnley, and a late 1-0 triumph over Arsenal marked their only clean sheet during that period.

The crucial factor for Slot is that, despite the shaky performances, his side were consistently bagging three points — something they're struggling to do now.

Liverpool has managed to secure victory in just one of their last seven league matches and has now suffered consecutive 3-0 defeats.

With the club far from their desired position in the table, there has been some talk about Slot's job security. However, former Manchester United defender and Sky Sports pundit Neville is confident that the manager's immediate future is not in jeopardy.

Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, he said: "There's no way that Arne Slot should be in danger or losing his job. I've heard murmurs; you go on social media and all that nonsense, but forget that.

"Some Liverpool fans will say, 'Don't talk about my football club like that', but come on, let's have some sense here. This is a really good manager, who's a brilliant front man for the club as well in the way he handles himself. He's got real class.

"For me, he's having a really bad time. I think he's got to somehow reverse back down the road quite quickly and do something different, intervene and sort out what he thinks might be some really difficult decisions staring him in the face, maybe give the players a little bit of help with the make-up of the teams he is picking.

"I love the style of play, by the way. I love it when they go punch for punch, but when you're going punch for punch with teams and you're not coming out on top, you do have to change that. You do have to do something different. I think the players will be expecting that of him, never mind the media and the fans.

"For Arne Slot, I think it's a real challenging moment. He's going to come under pressure, people are going to start saying the fatal words of, 'Is he in trouble?' But let's not get too carried away with that. He's just signed £450 million worth of players and he's got to try and settle them in.

"Those players who have come into the club have got to step up and prove they can deliver, and the players who have been there a long time — the leaders, captains and experienced players — have to provide stability in the dressing room so the new players don't feel like they're taking all the pressure themselves."

Liverpool dominated possession with 74 per cent against Nottingham Forest on Saturday. When combined with the Reds' 21 attempts compared to Forest's 15, plus the fact they completed over 400 more passes than Sean Dyche's outfit, it's little wonder Slot believed his side were not as bad as the scoreline suggested.

However, the Liverpool manager refused to point fingers at his players.

"It is my responsibility," he insisted. "If we win or lose, it is my responsibility. But what I also see is the team — and, by the way, our fans as well — stay until the end, support the team until the end, and the players keep on trying until the end.

"What I also saw today, but it wasn't at City — and at City we are not the only team that struggles in the first half — and in every other game we've played, we've been the dominant team and we were able to create chances."

Slot will be eager for his squad to quickly move past Saturday's setback as they prepare for Champions League duties.

Liverpool welcomes PSV Eindhoven to Anfield on Wednesday, with the Reds boss hoping his side can preserve their top-eight standing.

In the Premier League, Liverpool is set to take on West Ham in London this Sunday. The Hammers are battling to distance themselves from the relegation zone, while the Reds aim to ascend back into the upper half of the table.

Liverpool.com says: Slot will get time but things need to improve soon. As much as there are mitigations for the poor run of form, there have been some worrying signs that need to be reversed as quickly as possible.